A trial of molecular epidemiology using bovine enteroviruses isolated monthly from cattle

Enteroviruses were isolated monthly for one year from feces in the intestine of 47 cattle. Judging from the isolation panel, it was suggested that endemic infection occurs. Genetic changes of isolated enteroviruses were traced using RNase T1 oligonucleotide fingerprint analysis and nonparametric distance scaling. Using some characteristics transitions of fingerprint patterns we could also trace some strains. These analyses suggested that in some strains drastic genetic changes may occur, which coincide with additional infections transmitted from other cows. Furthermore, it was indicated that the genetic changes of viruses isolated from cow R13 were not very drastic, but genetic changes were drastic for viruses isolated from cow R19. Overall, we could never observe the same fingerprint pattern using RNase T1. This study suggests that genetic changes tend to accumulate as time elapses, and at the same time, infection decreases.