Characterization of Akabane virus from domestic bamboo rat, Southern China

To identify the causative agents in 3 large-scale outbreaks of encephalitis and death among farmed bamboo rats (Rhizomys pruinosus). The routine bacterial culture and identification were performed. There were no significant pathogenic bacteria isolated from the brain, heart, liver, spleen, lung, or kidney of diseased bamboo rats. Using PCR-based methods, we excluded the following as causative agent: pox virus, herpesvirus, adenovirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, rabies virus, and sendai virus. Furthermore, the homogenate from the diseased bamboo rats was subjected to viral metagenomic analysis which revealed 48506 filtered viral reads annotated to Akabane virus (AKAV) with >75% nucleotide identity, suggesting the presence of AKAVs in bamboo rats. Five novel AKAV isolates were successfully isolated and characterized. Furthermore the newly isolated AKAV isolate was used to demonstrate that it can reproduce the severe encephalitic and pneumonic disease in bamboo rats and mice. The findings add to the better understanding of AKAV epidemiology and to the prevention and control of Akabane diseases in China.