Interest in porcine epidemic diarrhea has grown since the 2013 outbreak in the United States caused major losses, with mortality rates up to 100 % in suckling piglets. In Mexico, an outbreak of porcine epidemic diarrhea, characterized by 100 % mortality in piglets, began in March 2014 in the State of Mexico. The aim of this study was to confirm and identify porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in samples from piglets with suggestive clinical signs using virological, histological, and molecular techniques. Necropsy was performed on 13 piglets from two litters with initial and advanced clinical signs. Suggestive lesions of acute infection with PEDV were detected in histological sections of the small and large bowels; specifically, multiple virus particles with visible crown-shaped projections were observed using electron microscopy and negative staining. Viral isolation was performed in Vero cells with trypsin. Infection was monitored by observation of cytopathic effect, and titration was determined by TCID50/ml. The presence of the PEDV in cultures and clinical samples was confirmed by RT-PCR amplification and sequencing of a 651-bp segment of the S glycoprotein gene, as well as a 681-bp matrix protein gene. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the Mexican isolates showed marked homology to viruses that circulated in 2013 in Colorado, USA. In this paper we confirm the isolation and characterization of PEDV from animals with early and advanced clinical signs.

Swine enteric viral infections are responsible for substantial economic losses in the pork industry worldwide. Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PEDV) is one of the main causative agents of diarrhea in lactating pigs, and reports of PEDV coinfection with other enteric viruses highlight the importance of viral interactions for disease presentation and outcomes. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and sequence analyses from samples taken from piglets with acute diarrhea, we explored the possible interactions between PEDV and other less reported pathogens. PEDV coinfection with porcine kobuvirus (PKV) was detected in 36.4% (27/74) of samples. Full genomes from porcine coronavirus and kobuvirus were obtained, as was a partial porcine sapovirus genome (PSaV). The phylogenetic results show the clustering of these strains corresponding to the geographical relationship. To our knowledge, this is the first full genome and isolation report for porcine kobuvirus in México, as well as the first phylogenetic analysis for porcine sapovirus in the country. The NGS approach provides a better perspective of circulating viruses and other pathogens in affected production units.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is one of the most common causes of acute liver diseases in humans worldwide. In developing countries, HEV is commonly associated with waterborne outbreaks. Conversely, in industrialized countries, HEV infection is often associated with travel to endemic regions or ingestion of contaminated animal products. Limited information on both, human and animal HEV infection in Mexico is available. As a consequence, the distribution of the virus in the country is largely unknown. Here, we assessed the seroprevalence of HEV among swine in different geographical regions in Mexico. Seroprevalence of anti-HEV antibodies in swine herds in Mexico was evaluated in a representative sample including 945 pig serum specimens from different regions of the country using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The overall prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies in swine was 59.4%. The northern region of Mexico exhibited the highest seroprevalence in the country (86.6%), while the central and southern regions in Mexico showed lower seroprevalence, 42.7% and 51.5%, respectively. In Mexico, HEV seroprevalence in swine is high. Importantly, northern Mexico showed the highest seroprevalence in the country. Thus, further studies are required to identify the risk factors contributing to HEV transmission among pigs in the country. Assessment of HEV human infection in the context of viral transmission in swine is required to better understand the epidemiology of hepatitis E in Mexico.

A one-pot synthetic methodology that combines an Ugi-Zhu three-component reaction (UZ-3CR) with a cascade sequence (intermolecular aza Diels–Alder cycloaddition/intramolecular N-acylation/decarboxylation/dehydration) using microwave-heating conditions, ytterbium (III) triflate (Yb(OTf)₃) as the catalyst, and chlorobenzene (for the first time in a multi-component reaction (MCR)) as the solvent, was developed to synthesize twelve new fluorinated-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyridin-5-ones containing a 4-amino-7-chloroquinoline moiety, yielding 50–77% in 95 min per product, with associated atom economies around 88%, also per product. Additionally, by in vitro tests, compounds 19d and 19i were found to effectively stop early SARS-CoV-2 replication, IC₅₀ = 6.74 µM and 5.29 µM, at 0 h and 1 h respectively, while cell viability remained above 90% relative to the control vehicle at 10 µM. Additional computer-based studies revealed that the most active compounds formed strong favorable interactions with important viral proteins (M_pro, NTDα and NTDo) of coronavirus, supporting a two-pronged approach that affects both how the virus infects the cells and how it replicates its genetic material. Finally, quantum chemistry analyses of non-covalent interactions were performed from Density-Functional Theory (DFT) to better understand how the active compounds hit the virus.

La diarrea epidémica porcina (PED) es una enfermedad entérica altamente contagiosa en los cerdos, que ha provocado grandes pérdidas económicas a la industria porcina a nivel mundial. Las medidas conocidas para el control de la PED, antes del desarrollo y lanzamiento de las vacunas en el 2017 en México, fue el “feedback” o “licuado”. Aunque fue una medida muy utilizada durante el brote de PED en 2013, entre los diversos autores que lo recomiendan no hay una homogeneidad en su uso. Actualmente, diversos estudios han experimentado otro tipo de profilaxis, como la inmunización oral con el virus de la PED obtenido a partir del aislamiento en cultivo celular, lo que permite cuantificar el virus infectivo, así como asegurar que solo se está utilizando como inóculo al virus y no otros agentes. El objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar el tiempo de seroconversión, en cerdas inoculadas con virus cuantificado, con cuatro diferentes vehículos (leche, trigo, directo y agua) y diferentes dosis del vehículo (1 ml, 2 ml y 3 ml), en diferentes momentos de gestación y número de partos. El estudio se realizó en el CEIEPP, granja de ciclo completo con 170 hembras. El presente estudio demostró que los vehículos con mejores resultados fueron el inóculo con agua y el inóculo directo combinado con la dosis de 1 ml, ya que la combinación de estos vehículos y dosis del inóculo generó que más del 90 % de las cerdas mostraran seroconversión a partir de la segunda semana post-inoculación.

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDV) can infect pigs of any age, but the disease severity varies significantly, particularly affecting neonatal piglets due to their immature immune system. Various vaccination strategies have been questioned for their efficacy, especially since outbreaks have occurred even on vaccinated farms. Recent suggestions indicate that exposure to the virus may enhance the effectiveness of inactivated vaccines, highlighting the potential benefits of using attenuated viruses to generate immunity in sows without prior exposure. This study aimed to evaluate the humoral and cytokine responses in pregnant sows and their piglets after inoculation of affected piglet intestinal contents and a virus isolated. We measured immune parameters such as IL-12, IL-22, IgG, and IgA, as well as neutralizing antibodies in serum, colostrum, and milk. Notably, higher titers of neutralizing antibodies were found in sows immunized with the viral inoculum, while IL-12 and IL-22 levels showed no significant differences. Additionally, we assessed productive parameters like total piglets born, weaning mortality, average birth weight, and stillborn rates. The results indicated that sows treated with affected piglet intestinal contents had higher mortality (48.31%) and stillborn rates (20.96%) compared to those receiving the isolated virus (30.02% and 10.44%, respectively). These findings suggest that using an isolated virus can offer a safe, long-lasting, and specific immune response, underscoring the importance of thorough analysis of both systemic and mucosal immune responses against PEDV.