First serological survey of antibodies against pathogenic viruses in a wild vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) population in the Argentinean Andean altiplano

MARCOPPIDO, G.; PARREÑO, V.; BIBIANA VILÁ

JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES

WILDLIFE DISEASE ASSOC, INC

Año: 2010 vol. 46 p. 608 - 614

0090-3558

ABSTRACT: Serum samples from 128 wild vicun˜ as (Vicugna vicugna) were tested for antibodies (Ab) to rotavirus (RV), bovine parainfluenza virus 3 (BPIV-3), bovine herpesvirus- 1 (BHV-1), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV-1), foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), bluetongue virus (BTV), equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), and influenza A virus equine (EIV). Samples were collected in Cieneguillas Province of Jujuy, in northern Argentina. Feces from 44 vicun˜ as were also collected to investigate RV shedding. Llamas (Lama glama) and domestic cattle (Bos taurus) from the area studied also were tested for antibodies to these viruses. Antibodies against RV (100%) and BPIV-3 (37%) were detected in the vicun˜ as sampled. No RV antigen was detected in any of the fecal samples tested. One vicun˜ a was positive for Ab to BHV-1 (0.8%) and another for BVDV-1 (0.8%). The Ab prevalences detected in llamas were: 100% (16/16) for RV, 47% (8/17) for BPIV-3, 17.6% (3/17) for BHV-1, and 5.9% (1/17) for BVDV-1. However, domestic cattle had high antibody prevalences for RV and BPIV-3, 100% (13/13) and 73% (11/15), respectively, but were negative for Ab to BHV-1 and BVDV. No antibodies against FMDV, BTV, EHV-1, or EIV were detected in wild vicun˜ as or domestic species. Because no data of viral circulation on wild vicun˜ as are available, this report represents the first evidence of viral infection in wild vicun˜ as from the Argentinean Andean Puna.