DIFFERENTIATION OF TYPE-1A, TYPE-1B AND TYPE-2 BOVINE VIRAL DIARRHEA VIRUS (BVDV) BY PCR

There are two genotypes among bovine viral diarrhoea viruses (BVDV), B VDV1 and BVDV2. Within the BVDV1 genotype there are two distinct subge notypes, BVDV1a and BVDV1b. Serology and monoclonal antibody binding a re used to differentiate BVDV from classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and border disease virus (BDV), the other members of the Pestivirus ge nus. These techniques are less useful in the differentiation and segre gation of viruses within the BVDV species. In this study, differential polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification has been evaluated as a tool for segregating BVDV isolates into genotypes and subgenotypes. P olymerase chain reaction primers were selected based on the comparison of 5' untranslated region sequences from CSVF, BDV, BVDV1a, BVDV1b an d BVDV2. Differential PCR tests were validated using 345 viruses isola ted from cattle and small ruminants that had previously been segregate d into genotypes and subgenotypes. There was 100% correlation between segregation by differential PCR and the previous segregation of these viral isolates. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.