Zoo animals as sentinels for wild animal infectious diseases in regions without resources for wildlife health surveillance: first report of a native South American wildlife species, southern pudu (Pudu puda), BVDV persistently infected

The lack of economical and human resources dedicated to the wildlife health surveillance in some regions can have an negative impact in the health status of native wildlife and domestic animals. The captive wild animal... [ view full abstract ]

The lack of economical and human resources dedicated to the wildlife health surveillance in some regions can have an negative impact in the health status of native wildlife and domestic animals. The captive wild animal populations may represent a cheapest and viable option to get health information mainly of native species, a very common group in South American Zoos. Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) is an important livestock viral agent causing high economic impact worldwide. Persistent infection (PI) has been reported in several wild animals in recent years, seemingly to support a possible role of wildlife as a reservoir for this virus. A serologic study for pestivirus and alphaherpesviruses realized in artiodactyls animals in a zoo in Chile resulted in one pudú (Pudu puda) to be suspicious to persistent infection with a pestivirus. Two blood samples with nine months of separation were collected from this individual to confirmation of PI status, performing viral neutralization test and RT-PCR. No antibodies were detected but pestivirus genome was amplified and a non-cytopathogenic strain was isolated in both samples. A phylogenetic analysis was realized and indicated that isolates were highly related with Chilean strains of BVDV-1b circulating among cattle. This is the first report of a South American wildlife species with the capacity to be PI. Further studies are needed to better understand the role of pudús in epidemiology of BVDV as well as to learn about the role of BVDV as a pathogen in pudús, and as a threat for their conservation. The South American Zoo populations will be consider a sentinel in the animal health region strategies for increase the scientific knowledge of native wildlife species susceptibility to infectious diseases.