Experimental #infection of #alpacas (Vicugna pacos) with #Influenza C and D viruses results in subclinical upper respiratory tract disease
Abstract Influenza D virus (IDV), a new genus within the Orthomyxoviridae family, was initially detected in pigs and cattle . IDV is structurally similar to influenza C virus (ICV). Influenza A, C and D viruses all have non-human maintenance hosts and likely circulate in several mammalian species . Camelids , as a reservoir for zoonotic viruses, were not extensively studied until the emergence of the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012. Antibody responses to both ICV and IDV could be detected in dromedary camels from Kenya but not differentiated, owing to cross-reactivity. It was unclear whether these findings reflected a technical issue or suggested a role for camelids in ICV and IDV ecology . In the present study, therefore, alpacas (Vicugna pacos), a camelid species , were experimentally inoculated with ICV (C/Victoria/1/2011) or IDV (D/bovine/France/5920/2014) to assess susceptibility and assess the antibody response. We have demonstrated that alpacas ca...