Congenital abnormalities in calves associated with Peaton virus infection in Japan

Peaton virus (PEAV; family Peribunyaviridae, genus Orthobunyavirus) appears to be capable of producing congenital malformations in ruminants; however, its pathogenicity remains unknown given its relatively low incidence. We evaluated the relationship between congenital abnormalities of calves and PEAV infection by serologic, epidemiologic, pathologic, and virologic investigations using specimens from 31 malformed calves in the years 1996-2016 in Japan. Antibody testing was carried out for known teratogenic viruses, including Akabane, Aino, Chuzan, and bovine viral diarrhea viruses, in the precolostral sera of these abnormal calves, but all results were negative. However, all 31 malformed calves were positive for antibodies against PEAV. A PEAV-specific gene was amplified from central nervous system tissues from a stillborn calf delivered in April 2007, and its nucleotide sequence was identical with that of PEAV isolated from healthy sentinel cattle in September 2006. These findings indicate that PEAV can cause bovine congenital anomalies.