Field isolates of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) display a high genetic and antigenic diversity that may difficult diagnosis and vaccine formulation. The present study presents a genetic and antigenic characterization of 20 BVDV isolates from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (2000-2010). The isolates were associated with a variety of clinical conditions that included respiratory or gastroenteric disease, skin lesions, abortions, animals with retarded growth, and persistently infected (PI) animals. Most isolates (19 or 95%) belong to the non-cytopathic biotype (NCP), one isolate (5%) had a mixture of viruses NCP and cytopathic (CP). Nucleotide sequencing of a region of 270 nucleotides of the 5' untranslated region of the viral genome followed by phylogenetic analysis identified nine isolates of BVDV-2 (45%), eight BVDV-1 (40%). Three isolates were not classified in any genotype and were classified as atypical pestiviruses. It was not possible to associate genotypes or subgenotypes with clinical conditions: both BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 were involved in different clinico - pathological syndromes. Analysis of reactivity with a panel of 19 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) revealed a marked variability in the major envelope glycoprotein (E2/gp53) among viruses of the same genotype, but especially among viruses from different genotypes. Virus neutralization assays (VN) with antisera of BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 reference strains against the isolates revealed variable levels of cross-reactivity between viruses of the same genotype, and lack or very low reactivity between viruses of different genotypes. These results indicate a similar frequency of BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 in the cattle population of Rio Grande do Sul, confirm the remarkable antigenic diversity of BVDV and reinforce the need to include viruses of genotypes BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 in vaccines. In addition, these results indicate the circulation of atypical pestiviruses in the cattle population of RS.
BVDV; pestivirus; genotyping; genetic diversity
