Animal Viral Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1124

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology, National Poultry Laboratory Animal Resource Center, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin 150069, China
Interests: porcine sapelovirus; porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Animal viral infectious diseases are a significant threat to animal health. Unraveling how animal viral proteins exploit the host system to facilitate invasion and how hosts resist infection is crucial for understanding the pathogenesis of animal viruses. This knowledge can guide the formulation of strategies to combat infections, such as the development of new drugs or diagnostic tools. In animal research, the complex interactions between host cells and various livestock- and poultry-related infectious viral pathogens, including Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV), African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), Avian Influenza Virus (AIV), Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), and others, remain insufficiently explored. This Special Issue welcomes research on host–animal virus interactions, aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms and devise clinical solutions for major animal diseases. Meanwhile, the detection of animal infectious viruses is also key to preventing outbreaks, and novel detection methods enable faster and more accurate viral diagnosis. Therefore, we also encourage the submission of innovative detection kits and methods for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological investigations. By advancing research in this field, we hope to contribute to effective strategies for controlling animal viral infectious diseases.

Dr. He Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • animal viral infectious diseases
  • host–animal virus interactions
  • pathogenesis
  • strategies to combat infections
  • new drug development
  • diagnostic tools
  • virus detection
  • epidemiological investigation

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

22 pages, 2913 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of PRV-1 in Atlantic Salmon and PRV-3 in Coho Salmon: Host-Specific Immune Responses and Apoptosis in Red Blood Cells
by Laura V. Solarte-Murillo, Sebastián Salgado, Tomás Gatica, Juan Guillermo Cárcamo, Thomais Tsoulia, Maria K. Dahle and Carlos Loncoman
Microorganisms 2025, 13(5), 1167; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13051167 - 21 May 2025
Viewed by 128
Abstract
Fish red blood cells (RBCs) are nucleated, transcriptionally active, and key players in both gas transport and immune responses. They are the primary targets of Orthoreovirus piscis (PRV), the etiological agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI), which includes three genotypes (PRV-1, [...] Read more.
Fish red blood cells (RBCs) are nucleated, transcriptionally active, and key players in both gas transport and immune responses. They are the primary targets of Orthoreovirus piscis (PRV), the etiological agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI), which includes three genotypes (PRV-1, PRV-2, and PRV-3), linked to circulatory disorders in farmed salmon. In Chile, PRV-3 affects the coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), but host–pathogen interactions remain poorly characterized. This study compared the interactions of PRV-3 in coho salmon and PRV-1 in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using RBC infection models. RBCs were isolated from healthy juvenile salmon (n = 3) inoculated with either PRV-1 (Ct = 18.87) or PRV-3 (Ct = 21.86). Poly I:C (50 µg/mL) was used as a positive control for the antiviral response. Cells were monitored for up to 14 days post-infection (dpi). PRV-3 infection in coho salmon RBCs caused significant metabolic disruption, apoptosis from 7 dpi, and correlated with increasing viral loads. In contrast, PRV-1 infection in Atlantic salmon RBCs showed limited apoptosis and maintained cell viability. Coho salmon RBCs upregulated rig-i, mx, and pkr transcripts, indicating activation of the type I interferon pathway, whereas Atlantic salmon RBCs exhibited a more attenuated response. PRV-3 induced notable morphological changes in coho salmon RBCs, although neither PRV-3 nor PRV-1 caused hemolysis. These findings highlight species-specific differences in RBC responses to PRV infection and provide new insights into the pathogenesis of PRV-3 and PRV-1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Viral Infectious Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 9268 KiB  
Article
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Prevalence and Pathogenicity of One NADC34-like Virus Isolate Circulating in China
by Yongjie Mei, Jianguo Chen, Yingyu Chen, Changmin Hu, Xi Chen and Aizhen Guo
Microorganisms 2025, 13(4), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13040796 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 450
Abstract
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is one of the most significant infectious agents threatening the global pig industry. Due to its high mutation and recombination rates, the prevalence of PRRSV in domestic pig populations is complex. To better understand the epidemiology [...] Read more.
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) is one of the most significant infectious agents threatening the global pig industry. Due to its high mutation and recombination rates, the prevalence of PRRSV in domestic pig populations is complex. To better understand the epidemiology of PRRSV, we conducted a large-scale investigation in eastern China, focusing on pig farms with a history of high abortion rates. A total of 14,934 pig samples were collected from 11 sow farms and 53 fattening farms across three provinces. Among these, 13.0% of the collected samples tested positive for PRRSV, with specific prevalence rates of 19.7% in sows and 12.4% in piglets. Genetic evolution analysis of the GP5 gene from 43 PRRSV strains identified in this study revealed that NADC30-like, NADC34-like, and HP-PRRSV were the predominant lineages in domestic pig farms. The NADC30-like genotype was the most dominant and had evolved into three subgenotypes, while the NADC34-like strains had diverged into two subgenotypes. Further analysis of the Nsp2 gene from 18 strains indicated that the NSP2 gene of multiple NADC34-like strains was closely related to that of the NADC30-like, suggesting that the NADC34-like strains are primarily recombinant viruses. Sequence comparison of the Nsp2 gene showed that both NADC30-like and NADC34-like viruses share 111 amino acid deletions at positions 322–433 and 21 amino acid deletions at positions 539–558 in the Nsp2 gene coding region. For the first time, the pathogenicity of a representative NADC34-like virus isolated in China was evaluated in pregnant sow. The results showed that infected sows exhibited an increased body temperature, ear cyanosis, and typical edema and cyanosis of the external genitalia. Moreover, all infected sows experienced miscarriage, with 100% of the aborted piglets being stillbirths exhibiting a high virus load. These findings indicate that this NADC34-like virus is highly virulent to sows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Viral Infectious Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1289 KiB  
Article
Induction of Immune Responses in Mice and Newborn Piglets by Oral Immunization with Recombinant Lactococcus lactis Expressing S1 and M Proteins of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
by Xiulei Cai, Zhikui Wang, Xinping Yan, Xu Wang, Xiaoxue Yue and Hongliang Zhang
Microorganisms 2025, 13(4), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13040714 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 314
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a severe gastrointestinal disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a virus that spreads through the intestinal tract, leading to significant economic losses in the global swine industry. Therefore, compared to traditional injection method, developing vaccines [...] Read more.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a severe gastrointestinal disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a virus that spreads through the intestinal tract, leading to significant economic losses in the global swine industry. Therefore, compared to traditional injection method, developing vaccines that effectively stimulate the mucosal immune system to induce a protective immune response is crucial for PED prevention. This study evaluated the immunogenicity of recombinant Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) strains expressing the PEDV S1 and M proteins (MG1363/pMG36e-S1 and MG1363/pMG36e-M) via oral administration in BALB/c mice and neonatal piglets, assessing cellular, humoral, and mucosal immune responses in the host. The results demonstrated that the recombinant strains significantly stimulated lymphocyte proliferation in mice and increased the proportion of CD3+, CD4+, and CD3+, CD8+ double-positive cells in the spleens of mice and the peripheral blood of piglets (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the recombinant strains significantly increased serum IgG, IgA, and mucosal SIgA levels in piglets (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, serum cytokine levels, including IL-4 and IFN-γ, were significantly elevated in piglets when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the recombinant L. lactis demonstrated promising potential as a novel live vector vaccine against PEDV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Viral Infectious Diseases)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop