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SUMMARY:Hunting foot-and-mouth disease virus - Dr Bryan Charleston\, The I
 nstitute for Animal Health
DTSTART:20100210T163000Z
DTEND:20100210T173000Z
UID:TALK22375@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Suzy Blows
DESCRIPTION:Foot-and-mouth disease virus\, a highly contagious pathogen th
 at can cause lameness\, low weight and decreased milk production\, is a sc
 ourge of agricultural livestock around the world. Although the acute phase
  of infection is rarely fatal\, infection may persist in animals that have
  apparently recovered\, creating a viral reservoir that some fear could co
 ntribute to the spread of disease. We have used an array of molecular tech
 niques to search for traces of virus in tissues from the mouths and throat
 s of infected cattle. In a carefully controlled study\, we have found evid
 ence of intact\, non-replicating virus particles trapped by follicular den
 dritic cells within the germinal centres of lymph nodes. Strikingly\, viru
 s was present for at least 38 days post infection\, even though it was und
 etectable in surrounding tissues. The retention of intact virus within ger
 minal centres is likely to have a role in stimulating the long lasting imm
 une response that is characteristic of viral infections. Our data suggests
  that this capture may also be responsible for preserving intact viruses c
 apable of infecting susceptible cells as they come into contact with germi
 nal centres.\nAfrican buffalo (Syncerus caffer) are typically infected wit
 h all three South African Territories types of FMDV by 2 years of age and 
 these viruses can be transmitted to farmed livestock. Buffalo harbour pers
 istent virus in greater amounts and for longer periods than cattle and thu
 s provided us with further opportunities to define the sites of viral loca
 lisation.
LOCATION:Lecture Theatre 1\, Department of Veterinary Medicine
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