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Isolation and Characterization of a Highly Virulent Getah Virus Causing Acute Lethal Infection in Neonatal Piglets
Zhengxin Yang1,2,3, Weidong Yan3,4, Xuefei Wang1
1College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China, hzau.edu.cn.
Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
|July 3, 2026
Summary
Getah virus (GETV) caused a severe outbreak in neonatal piglets, leading to high mortality. A highly virulent GETV strain, GETV-WH, was isolated and confirmed to be lethal in experimental infections.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Pathogen Discovery
- Swine Health
Background:
- Getah virus (GETV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus, poses a growing threat to swine production, especially neonatal piglets.
- A severe disease outbreak with high mortality in suckling piglets was reported in central China.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the causative agent of the disease outbreak in piglets.
- To characterize the isolated GETV strain and assess its pathogenicity in neonatal piglets.
Main Methods:
- Pathogen screening, virus isolation and identification (immunofluorescence assay, plaque assay).
- Viral growth kinetics and complete genome sequencing.
- Experimental infection of neonatal piglets and pathological examination.
Main Results:
- GETV RNA was detected in multiple tissues; a highly virulent GETV strain (GETV-WH) was isolated.
- GETV-WH demonstrated rapid replication and induced severe systemic disease with 100% mortality in experimentally infected piglets.
- Genomic analysis revealed unique substitutions in NSP1 and E2 proteins, placing GETV-WH within genetic Group III.
Conclusions:
- GETV-WH is a highly pathogenic strain causing acute, lethal systemic infection in neonatal piglets.
- The findings highlight the emergence of virulent GETV variants and their significant threat to swine health.
