Saffold virus

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Picornavirus
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Child level

Same level

Genera

May 2007: A new Theiler's-like virus named Saffold virus (SAFV) has been isolated from a child in California (Jones et al., 2007). It is distinct from TMEV, VHEV and TRV making it a fourth virus. The complete genome sequence is now available [EF165067]. Now referred to as SAFV-1 following the finding of a second Saffold-like virus.

Dec 2007: Another Saffold-like virus sequence (complete polyprotein coding region) has been released on GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ: AM922293. It is most closely related to the Saffold virus mentioned above, however, differs considerably in the capsid-coding region. It was isolated from Canadian child with respiratory symptoms on 6th March 2006 (Abed and Boivin, 2008). It is referred to as SAFV-2 on these pages.

March 2008: An outbreak an enteric disease possibly due to Saffold virus has been reported (Fuller et al., 2008). It was not specified if this virus was similar to SAFV-1 or SAFV-2, or if it is a novel SAFV.

Abstract from Fuller et al., 2008. Background: In 2004, the Minnesota (MN) Department of Health received funds from CDC to conduct enhanced laboratory testing to better describe causes of enteric illness, and a variety of novel tests were implemented. The resulting expanded testing panel included tests for known and possible bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens. The panel was used in an attempt to establish etiologies of enteric disease outbreaks in MN that initially tested negative for standard bacterial pathogens and norovirus. Methods: Enteric disease outbreaks in MN during 2002-2006 for which an etiology was not laboratory confirmed, and stool samples were still available (n=16), were tested using enhanced methods. Rotavirus, sapovirus, and astrovirus testing used conventional RT-PCR. Norovirus testing used a real time RT-PCR; primers and probes detected genogroups I, II and IV. Listeria monocytogenes testing used Listeria Enrichment Broth, Oxford Medium, and PALCAM Agar. If there were no positive results for an outbreak after all tests were completed, pathogen discovery methods were used. This included sequencing of unusual banding patterns on RT-PCR products. Results: Positive findings were obtained for 8 (50%) outbreaks of unknown etiology. These included an outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis due to L. monocytogenes associated with a restaurant; three sapovirus outbreaks in nursing homes; one sapovirus outbreak in an elementary school; one norovirus outbreak associated with a family gathering; one daycare outbreak which included astrovirus, rotavirus, and norovirus positive results; and the first ever detected Saffold virus (Picornaviridae, genus Cardiovirus) outbreak, which was associated with a family gathering (route of transmission unknown). Conclusions: Enhanced testing explained the etiology of half of enteric disease outbreaks of unknown etiology for which samples were available. Pathogens that are not tested for in traditional laboratory settings may be significant contributors to enteric disease. Outbreaks represent a critical opportunity to identify new or unusual causes of enteric disease. Public health laboratories should retain stool samples from all outbreaks until an etiology has been established and pursue enhanced testing when standard methods fail to identify a probable causative agent.

31 May 2008: A second SAFV-2 genome sequence released (EU376394; Chiu et al., 2008).

27 Aug 2008: More Saffold viruses from humans, including a third (geno)type (Drexler et al., 2008)

February 2009: Five more SAFV (geno)types discovered (Blinkova et al., 2009), bring the total to eight.

June 2009: Another Saffold virus (SAFV-9) found by Olga Blinkova (unpublished).

September 2012: Two new Saffold virus types (10 and 11) published on GenBank; plus complete genome sequences for all 11 types (A. Naeem & H. Shimizu, unpub.).

Search for Saffold virus on GenBank

References

Abed, Y. and Boivin, G. (2008). New Saffold cardioviruses in 3 children, Canada. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14: 834-836.

Blinkova, O., Kapoor, A., Victoria, J., Naeem, A., Shaukat, S., Sharif, S., Alam, M.M., Angez, M., Zaidi, S. and Delwart, E.L. (2009). Cardioviruses are genetically diverse and common enteric infections in South Asian children. J. Virol. Ahead of print on 4 February 2009; doi:10.1128/JVI.02085-08.

Chiu, C.Y., Greninger, A.L., Kanada, K., Kwok, T., Fischer, K.F., Runckel, C., Louie, J.K., Glaser, C.A., Yagi, S., Schnurr, D.P., Haggerty, T.D., Parsonnet, J., Ganem, D. and DeRisi, J.L. (2008). Identification of cardioviruses related to Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus in human infections. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 105: 14124-14129.

Drexler, J.F., de Souza Luna, L.K., Stöcker, A., Silva Almeida, P., Medrado Ribeiro, T.C., Petersen, N., Herzog, P., Pedroso, C., Huppertz, H.I., da Costa Ribeiro, H. Jr., Baumgarte, S. and Drosten, C. (2008). Circulation of 3 lineages of a novel saffold cardiovirus in humans. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 14: 1398-1405.

Fuller, C., Cebelinski E., Bartkus J., Juni B., Smith K. and Besser J. (2008). Enhanced laboratory testing of enteric disease outbreaks of unknown etiology in Minnesota [abstract]. International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases 2008: slide sessions and poster abstracts. Emerging Infectious Diseases [serial on the Internet]. 2008 Mar 14.Available from http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/14/3/ICEID2008.pdf.

Jones, M.S., Lukashov, V.V., Ganac, R.D., Schnurr, D.P. (2007). Discovery of a novel human picornavirus from a pediatric patient presenting with fever of unknown origin. J. Clin. Microbiol. 45: 2144-2150.