Comparison of complete sequences of the rustrella virus (RusV) genome of cats from Sweden, Austria, and Germany. (a) The amino acid sequences of the structural polyprotein (p110 / sPP) of all known matonaviruses were aligned and a phylogenetic tree of maximum probability (ML) was calculated (IQ-TREE2 version 2.2.0; FLU + F + I + G4). ; 100,000 ultrafast bootstraps). Boot support values are shown in italics. (b) ML tree of complete or nearly complete RusV genome sequences of cats with “amazing disease” and all publicly available RusV sequences (IQ-TREE2 version 2.2.0; TIM3 + F + I; 100,000 ultrafast bootstraps). The sequences from Sweden, Austria, and Germany stand out in blue, green, and orange, respectively. Sequences from a previously identified German RusV cluster of zoo animals with encephalitis and apparently healthy yellow-necked field mice (Apodemus flavicollis) 30, 31, 34 are presented in a script box. Boot support values are displayed on nodes. (c) The genetic variability of the RusV lineages from Sweden, Austria, and Germany is presented as JC69 average pairwise distance using a sliding window analysis (window: 200 nt; step size: 50 nt). The genomic organization of RusV is shown, highlighting the open reading frames of nonstructural (p200 / nsPP) and structural (p110 / sPP) polyprotein, as well as the protease of mature cleavage products (p150), RNA RNA-targeted polymerase (p90), capsid protein (C), and E2 and E1 glycoproteins. Credit: bioRxiv (2022). DOI: 10.1101 / 2022.06.01.494454
A large team of researchers affiliated with various institutions in Germany, Austria and Sweden has found the virus behind the mysterious “amazing” disease that kills cats across Europe. The group has written an article describing their work, but it has not yet been peer-reviewed; they hung it on the bioRxiv prepress site.
The amazing disease that affects cats has been known to science for almost half a century, but it became a major concern in 2020 when it killed a capybara, a donkey and a kangaroo tree in Germany. Over the years, it has been associated with encephalitis in a wide variety of animals.
More recently, neurological disease has mainly affected domestic cats. Symptoms include loss of ability to retract claws, tremors, loss of limb control and seizures. Cats with the disease stagger as if they were drunk, giving rise to their nickname. The disease progresses for about two weeks and no cure is known; there is also very little treatment for infected animals. It is not known how long it takes to kill cats because most, if not all, of the victims have been slaughtered for human reasons.
The initial study of the disease suggested that it was caused by the Borna disease virus, but later work did not confirm this idea. In this new effort, researchers took a more serious look at the disease to try to find its source. They collected the brains of 29 slaughtered cats from places in Germany, Austria and Sweden. Each of the brains was analyzed for DNA tests for the Borna virus, but none were found. However, they found the rust virus in 28 of the brains. Rustella virus is a relative of the rubella virus that infects humans.
The researchers conclude that their findings strongly suggest that the rust virus is the cause of the surprising disease in cats and observe that the virus has usually been seen in wooden mice. In addition, they suggest that it is probably also infecting an unknown number of other mammals, possibly including humans.
One study finds human-to-cat transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19. More information: Kaspar Matiasek et al, Mystery of fatal ‘Staggering disease’ unveiled: The new rustrela virus causes severe encephalomyelitis in domestic cats, bioRxiv (2022). DOI: 10.1101 / 2022.06.01.494454
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Citation: The cause of the “assault” disease in cats in Europe (2022, July 5) recovered on July 5, 2022 has been revealed.
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