Search Filter
- Publications
- Abstract of Theses and Dissertations
- Database
- Prevalence of Reston ebolavirus in Swine from Slaughterhouses of...
Prevalence of Reston ebolavirus in Swine from Slaughterhouses of Laguna, Philippines using Real-time RT-PCR Detection
Thesis Abstract:
Reston ebolavirus was first described as a new "strain" of Ebola virus (EBOV) in 1989 with reported cases in cynomolgus macaques exported from primate facilities in the Philippines. In 2008, pig samples were detected to have co-infection of REBOV with PRRS and PCV2 viruses. In these reports, the Philippines was described to be the origin of REBOV. Humans were found to develop antibodies to REBOV virus, with no report of clinical illness. To determine the occurrence of REBOV among pigs raised and slaughtered in Laguna province 384 blood samples were collected from randomly selected ten (43.5%) of the total 23 slaughterhouses in Laguna province. RNA extracted from the sera of these blood samples was subjected to real-time RT-PCR test to detect and profile the occurrence of Reston ebolavirus. Blood samples came from pigs from different farms in Laguna. The Sta. Cruz slaughterhouse had the highest number of pigs tested, 107 (27.86%), among the total 384 tested samples, while the lowest number of samples 4 (1.04%), were from San Pablo slaughterhouse. Females had a slightly higher number, 194 (50.52%) compared to males 190 (49.48%). Blood samples came from pigs from commercial farms registering the highest at 242 (63.02%) whereas 142 (36.98%) samples came from small-hold farms. By age, 373 (97.14%) young animals aged less than 20 months. There were 6 (1.56%) animals aged 41 - 60 months, and only 5 (1.30%) pigs aged 21 - 40 months.
No Reston ebolavirus was found in all samples tested indicating no occurrence of Reston ebolavirus in swine raised and slaughtered in Laguna. The study highly recommends the use of viral RNA extraction kit together with Real-time RT- PCR kit for the detection of the said virus. It is likewise suggested that Real-time RT-PCR be used for the detection of Reston ebolavirus in swine.