A preliminary study of Jingmen tick virus infection in human and domestic animals in Hubei, 2022

  Objective  T o study the positive rate of Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) antibody in serum of domestic animals and assess the risk of JMTV infection in humans and domestic animals in Hubei province, 2022.

  Methods  JMTV NS3 protein as antigen was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. ELISA envelope antigen was prepared, and cut-off values were determined by human and animal serum. Serum samples from cattle, sheep from farms and serum samples from healthy people from hospitals were collected in Hubei. JMTV-specific antibody and nucleic acid were detected in theses samples, as well as serum from forest residents stored in our laboratory. In addition, JMTV-specific nucleic acid was detected in all samples by RT-PCR method.

  Results  An ELISA assay for JMTV antibody detection based on NS3 protein was established. The cut-off values of human, bovine and sheep serum were determined to be 0.342, 0.098 and 0.298, respectively. The positive rates of JMTV antibody in 44 bovine and 193 sheep serum were 4.55% and 3.63%, respectively. JMTV-specific antibody were negative in 174 healthy subjects and 13 forest residents. No nucleic acid fragments of JMTV were detected in all samples.

  Conclusion  JMTV specific antibody was detected in the serum of domestic cattle and sheep, suggesting that it is necessary to pay attention to the spread risk of the virus caused by cattle and sheep.