1

Speaker(s)：

Fan Lee

Topic

Supporting arbovirus studies with Aedes albopictus rearing and a cell culture system: An aborted approach

Abstract

Arthropod-borne virus, or arbovirus, is a category of viruses which are transmitted by arthropods. Arboviruses are found in a variety of families such as within the Reoviridae (bluetongue virus), the Rhabdoviridae (bovine ephemeral fever), and the Bunyaviridae (Akabane virus), and are of importance to animal health. Studies on animal diseases conducted in Taiwan have primarily focused on the viruses and their susceptible mammalian hosts. Limited resources is spent on investigating the arthropod hosts which carry the viruses, probably due to the difficulties in applying methods learnt in mammalian system to insect system. Therefore, since 2014, we attempted to collect and rear potential arthropod vectors of veterinary importance, targeting Culicoides biting midges as well as mosquitoes. An insectary was set up by remodeling a room within an existed poultry house. A colony of Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) was the established in the insectary and the larvae collection commenced in the campus of our institute. Asian tiger mosquito can now be reared and can reproduce successfully, although methods of blood-feeding still need to be improved. It is believed that this attempt can benefit further studies on arboviruses of veterinary importance, particularly bovine ephemeral fever virus.

2

Speaker(s)：

Chieh-Hao Wu

Topic

Establishment of an immune-gold labeling technique for visualization of Koi herpesvirus via electron microscopy and periodic report in 2015

Abstract

Immuno-gold labeling is a technique used to label specific antigens by employing colloidal gold-antibody conjugates. Based on the antigen-antibody binding method, the method is highly specific and is therefore useful to provide the following diagnosis and for further research.

The study aims to establish an immuno-gold labeling technique in koi herpesvirus with the negative staining of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The specific antibody binds to koi herpesvirus and labelled with the colloidal gold particles. The number and morphology of labelled viruses were thus observed by TEM. Under the different binding time, it revealed that more clear and intact virus patterns were revealed in three to six hours incubation compared with the original method using a 4 ℃ overnight incubation. This study has established an immuno-gold labeling technique for the detection and visualization of koi herpesvirus.

3

Speaker(s)：

Wei-Yu Lin

Topic

Production of a lried Lapinized hog cholera vaccine

Abstract

Classical swine fever is a highly contagious disease for swine. The responsible infectious agent is a virus belonging to the genus Pestivirus in the family Flaviviridae. Classical swine fever, which is one of the most important swine virus diseases in Taiwan, can cause fever, anorexia, diarrhea, death, and possibly neurological symptoms. The frozen dried lapinized hog cholera seed virus used in our lab was introduced from the Philippines by Dr. Robert C.T Lee in 1952. In a continuous subculture of rabbits over 800 generations, it became a highly infective swine fever virus called Lapinized Philippine Coronel (LPC) China strain. Thanks to the timely successful development and widely use of the LPC-China strain live vaccine in the 1950s, the disease was successfully managed. This LPC strain vaccine has been used for more than 50 years in Taiwan and over 2,700 batches have been produced. In addition, the vaccine is commonly used in hog farms and is well-received among farmers. Approximately, 2,868,500 doses of LPC-China strain live vaccine was produced by the AHRI in 2015 which has greatly enhanced the prevention of hog cholera in Taiwan. Many countries are committed to eradicating hog cholera and since Taiwan plans to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), the elimination and eradication of hog cholera has a critical impact on pork exports to TPP member countries.