Psudedorabies: Possible emerging infectious disease to be concerned
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Pseudorabies, commonly known as Aujeszky’s disease, is a viral infection caused by the pseudorabies virus (PRV).[1] The virus was discovered in 1902 and has since spread around the world, particularly in countries with high pig populations. PRV-infected pigs excrete a large amount of the virus in their bodily secretions and excretions, making it easily transmissible. PRV is typically transmitted through direct contact between infected and susceptible animals. The virus, on the other hand, can spread through the air, water, and contaminated items (fomites). The disease is difficult to control, and outbreaks in pig herds can result in large financial losses for the swine industry. While the Bartha-K61 vaccine for PRV is available, it is a live attenuated form of the virus. This vaccination is helpful in limiting virus spread but does not completely prevent illness. A combination of interventions such as rigorous biosecurity regulations, good sanitation techniques, and vaccination programs are often used to effectively manage and prevent the spread of PRV. Ongoing research and surveillance are critical for understanding the epidemiology of PRV and creating better control methods to reduce the disease’s impact on the swine industry.[2] An important concern is whether this disease will be the emerging infectious disease that causes problems in humans. According to the available information, pseudorabies virus infection may constitute an occupational hazard and may cause disease in humans. However, because live virus has not been isolated from infected patients, fulfilling all of Koch’s postulates and establishing a conclusive evidence of PRV-induced disease in people is challenging. Experiments with PRV infection in rhesus macaques have yielded inconclusive results. An early study in England using an Aujeszky virus strain failed to induce infection via several modes of inoculation, but subsequent studies with different strains were effective in inducing neurological symptoms by intracerebral injection.[3] In macaques, pre-existing immunity to herpes B virus was revealed to have a protective effect against intracerebral PRV injection.[3] This shows that PRV infectivity to monkeys or humans may vary by strain and that prior immunity to related viruses may influence the severity of disease symptoms. In the future, researchers should try to extract the virus from patient samples using cell culture as well as live animals vulnerable to Aujeszky’s disease, such as BALB/c mice. In addition, modern detection technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) should be used in concert with serological, virological, and epidemiological studies to uncover novel pathogens that infect and cause disease in people.[4] These initiatives will significantly help in determining the true public health risk associated with PRV infections and forecasting future outbreaks. However, the latest report from China that can successfully identify the causal relationship between the pathogen and clinical issues in a patient with encephalitis highlight the importance of zoonotic transmission of the disease.[5] A PRV strain was identified from an acute human encephalitis case in that case report. This isolate shared similar phylogenetic and etiological characteristics with Chinese PRV variant strains, demonstrating a high risk of PRV transmission from pigs to humans.[5] Continued study in this area is critical for gaining a better understanding of the potential hazards and repercussions of PRV infection in humans. This will aid in the implementation of suitable preventative measures and the successful management of any possible PRV public health risks. Conflict of interest There are no conflict of interest. Acknowledgement Not applicable. Author contributions AK 50% ideas, writing, analyzing, and approval. VW 50% ideas, supervision, and approval. Ethical policy and Institutional Review Board statement Not applicable. Financial support and sponsorship Nil.
Source: Journal of Medical Society
DOI: 10.4103/jms.jms_6_25
Authors: Amnuay Kleebayoon, Viroj Wiwanitkit
Institution: Chandigarh University
Language: English
Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7081950910