avian & livestock assay data sheet

Cache Valley virus

Test code: S0206 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of Cache Valley virus by reverse transcription coupled real time polymerase chain reaction

Cache Valley virus is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Bunyamwera serogroup in the genus Orthobunyavirus and was named after the location in northern Utah where it was first isolated from mosquitoes. The virus can infect many species of domestic and wild animals such as deer, cattle, sheep, and horses, and is a concern in animal husbandry due to its ability to cause abortion, stillbirth, and congenital defects of the musculoskeletal and central nervous systems in affected ruminants. Recently, several cases of human infection have been reported.

The virus has been found throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. There is no vaccine and there is no known treatment available. The most effective method of protecting animals from the Cache Valley virus is to minimize their exposure to mosquito-infested areas during and shortly after the breeding season.

Traditionally, diagnosis of this viral infection has been achieved by measuring the rising titer of antibody production in infected animals, but antibody production can be slow. Molecular detection by PCR is rapid, sensitive and specific (Wang et al., 2009), and is an important alternative to the traditional method of diagnosis.

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Identify Cache Valley virus carriers
• Help ensure that animal groups and populations are free of Cache Valley virus
• Early prevention of spread of this virus among animals
• Minimize human exposure to this virus
• Safety monitoring of biological products that derive from animals

References:
Wang, H., Nattanmai, S., Kramer, L.D., Bernard, K.A. and Tavakoli, N.P. (2009) A duplex real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of California serogroup and Cache Valley viruses. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 65:150-157.

Specimen requirements: 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml cerebrospinal fluid, or 0.2 ml fresh or frozen tissue.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected