Detection and isolation of Bluetongue virus from commercial vaccine batches. Issue 28 (14th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bumbarov, Velizar; Golender, Natalia; Erster, Oran; Khinich, Yevgeny
• Is Part Of: Vaccine. Volume 34:Issue 28(2016)
• Page Start: 3317
• Page End: 3323
• Publication Date: 2016-06-14
• Subjects: Bluetongue virus -- Vaccine safety -- Real-time PCR -- NS3 -- VP1; Vaccines -- Periodicals; 615.372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.03.097
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-410X

Abstract

Highlights: BTV contamination was identified in Sheep pox and Lumpy skin disease vaccines using real-time PCR. Infective BTV from the Sheep pox vaccine was isolated and cultured in chicken eggs and Vero cells. The contaminating virus identity was confirmed as BTV by sequencing. Abstract: In this report we describe the detection and identification of Bluetongue virus (BTV) contaminations in commercial vaccines. BTV RNA was detected in vaccine batches of Lumpy skin disease (LSD) and Sheep pox (SP) using quantitative PCR (qPCR) for VP1 and NS3 genes. Both batches were positive for VP1 and NS3 in qPCR. The LSD vaccine-derived sample was positive for VP1 and VP2 in conventional PCR. The SP vaccine-derived sample was examined by amplification of VP1, VP4, VP6, VP7, NS2 and NS3 gene segments in conventional PCR. The SP vaccine-derived sample was further propagated in embryonated chicken eggs (ECE) and Vero cells. Preliminary sequence analysis showed that the LSD vaccine-derived sequence was 98–99% similar to BTV9. Analysis of the six genomic segments from the SP vaccine-derived isolate showed the highest similarity to BTV26 (66.3–97.8%). These findings are particularly important due to the effect of BTV on cattle and sheep, for which the vaccines are intended. They also demonstrate the necessity of rigorous vaccine inspection and strict vaccine production control.