A Rapid and Novel Multiplex PCR Assay for Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Viruses Associated with Bovine Gastroenteritis

Bovine viral diarrheal virus (BVDV) and bovine coronavirus (BCoV) are prevalent viral infections in buffalo calves that result in significant economic losses globally. However, Bovine picobirnavirus (BPBV) Group I and II has been an emerging causes of gastrointestinal infection as has been detected with mixed of BVDV as well as BCV. To combat economic losses and viral infection, a rapid and innovative multiplex-PCR assay (M-PCR) was developed to simultaneously identify BVDV, BCV, and BPBV. The assay employed three primer pairs, each specific to a particular virus. Notably, the primers for BCV and BVDV, targeting the transmembrane (M) Mebus gene and 5'UTR genes, respectively, were self-designed. To validate the assay, 300 samples of buffalo calf feces were subjected to the standardized multiplex PCR. The results demonstrated that 54 (18%) samples tested positive for multiple viruses, with 16.67% samples infected by BVDV, 0.9% by BCoV, and 0.13% by BPBV, as detected by the M-PCR assay. In summary, this developed assay is characterized by high specificity, sensitivity, throughput, and speed, enabling the simultaneous detection of the three viruses in a single reaction tube. Consequently, it holds potential for epidemiological investigations. It is worth noting that, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported multiplex assay for the worldwide detection of BVDV, BCoV, and BPBV. This novel assay promises to aid in the detection of mixed infections in the gastrointestinal tract.