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Jorge DV, Ferreira M, Eira C, Duarte M, Ramos F, Fagulha T, Barros S, Mourão M, Luis T, Bento MC, Duarte A. Molecular characterization of cetacean poxviruses along the coast of mainland Portugal. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2024; 158:55-64. [PMID: 38661137 DOI: 10.3354/dao03784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Cetacean poxvirus (CePV) is the causative agent of tattoo skin disease (TSD) in dolphins, porpoises and whales, a condition characterized by pinhole, ring-like lesions or generalized tattoo-like skin lesions. This study genetically characterized cetacean poxviruses from stranded animals along mainland Portugal. Samples from skin lesions compatible with TSD were obtained from 4 odontocete species (Delphinus delphis, Stenella coeruleoalba, Phocoena phocoena, and Tursiops truncatus) and analyzed using a conventional PCR assay targeting the DNA polymerase gene partially. Among the positive samples (n = 29, 65.9%), a larger DNA polymerase gene fragment was obtained, allowing a robust phylogenetic analysis. Nineteen samples (43.2%) were successfully amplified and sequenced using Sanger sequencing. By combining 11 of these sequences with those from public databases, a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed, revealing high heterogeneity within the group. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the genetic diversity, epidemiology, phylogenetics, and evolution of CePV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Vieira Jorge
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marisa Ferreira
- Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem, Estação de Campo de Quiaios, Apt 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal
| | - Catarina Eira
- Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem, Estação de Campo de Quiaios, Apt 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, CESAM & Ecomare, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Margarida Duarte
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Ramos
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Teresa Fagulha
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Silvia Barros
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Margarida Mourão
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Tiago Luis
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Maria Carolina Bento
- CIVG - Vasco da Gama Research Center/EUVG - Vasco da Gama University School, Campus Universitário de Lordemão, Av. José R. Sousa Fernandes, 3020-210 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Duarte
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
- Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Avenida da República, Quinta do Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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Sacristán C, Ewbank AC, Duarte-Benvenuto A, Sacristán I, Zamana-Ramblas R, Costa-Silva S, Lanes Ribeiro V, Bertozzi CP, Del Rio do Valle R, Castilho PV, Colosio AC, Marcondes MCC, Lailson-Brito J, de Freitas Azevedo A, Carvalho VL, Pessi CF, Cremer M, Esperón F, Catão-Dias JL. Survey of selected viral agents (herpesvirus, adenovirus and hepatitis E virus) in liver and lung samples of cetaceans, Brazil. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2689. [PMID: 38302481 PMCID: PMC10834590 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45315-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatic and pulmonary lesions are common in cetaceans, despite their poorly understood viral etiology. Herpesviruses (HV), adenoviruses (AdV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) are emerging agents in cetaceans, associated with liver and/or pulmonary damage in mammals. We isolated and molecularly tested DNA for HV and AdV (n = 218 individuals; 187 liver and 108 lung samples) and RNA for HEV (n = 147 animals; 147 liver samples) from six cetacean families. All animals stranded or were bycaught in Brazil between 2001 and 2021. Positive-animals were analyzed by histopathology. Statistical analyses assessed if the prevalence of viral infection could be associated with the variables: species, family, habitat, region, sex, and age group. All samples were negative for AdV and HEV. Overall, 8.7% (19/218) of the cetaceans were HV-positive (4.8% [9/187] liver and 11.1% [12/108] lung), without HV-associated lesions. HV-prevalence was statistically significant higher in Pontoporiidae (19.2%, 10/52) when compared to Delphinidae (4.1%, 5/121), and in southeastern (17.1%, 13/76)-the most industrialized Brazilian region-when compared to the northeastern region (2.4%, 3/126). This study broadens the herpesvirus host range in cetaceans, including its description in pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Further studies must elucidate herpesvirus drivers in cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sacristán
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Carretera Algete-El Casar de Talamanca, Km. 8,1, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain.
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - A C Ewbank
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - A Duarte-Benvenuto
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - I Sacristán
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal (CISA-INIA), CSIC, Carretera Algete-El Casar de Talamanca, Km. 8,1, 28130, Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - R Zamana-Ramblas
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - S Costa-Silva
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - C P Bertozzi
- São Paulo State University - UNESP, São Vicente, SP, Brazil
| | - R Del Rio do Valle
- Instituto Ecoema de Estudo e Conservação do Meio Ambiente, Peruíbe, SP, Brasil
| | - P V Castilho
- Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina-UDESC, Laguna, SC, Brazil
| | - A C Colosio
- Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Caravelas, BA, Brazil
| | | | - J Lailson-Brito
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores 'Profa Izabel M. G. do N. Gurgel' (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - A de Freitas Azevedo
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores 'Profa Izabel M. G. do N. Gurgel' (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - V L Carvalho
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos, Caucaia, CE, Brazil
| | - C F Pessi
- Instituto de Pesquisas Cananéia (IpeC), Cananéia, SP, Brazil
| | - M Cremer
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação de Tetrápodes Marinhos e Costeiros - TETRAMAR, Universidade da Região de Joinville - UNIVILLE, São Francisco Do Sul, SC, Brazil
| | - F Esperón
- Universidad Europea, Villaviciosa de Odon, Spain
| | - J L Catão-Dias
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Si H, Tucciarone CM, Cecchinato M, Legnardi M, Mazzariol S, Centelleghe C. Comparison between Sampling Techniques for Virological Molecular Analyses: Dolphin Morbillivirus and Herpesvirus Detection from FTA ® Card and Frozen Tissue. Viruses 2023; 15:2422. [PMID: 38140663 PMCID: PMC10747605 DOI: 10.3390/v15122422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Stranded animals offer valuable information on marine mammal physiology and pathology; however, the decomposition state of the carcasses and lack of a rigorous cold chain for sample preservation can sometimes discourage diagnostic analyses based on nucleic acid detection. The present paper aims at evaluating the reliability of FTA® card tissue imprints as an alternative matrix to frozen tissues for virological analyses based on biomolecular methods. Given the contribution of Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) to strandings and the increase of herpesvirus detection in cetaceans, these two pathogens were selected as representative of RNA and DNA viruses. Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) and herpesvirus presence was investigated in parallel on tissue imprints on FTA® cards and frozen tissues collected during necropsy of dolphins stranded in Italy. Samples were analysed by nested RT-PCR for DMV and nested-PCR for herpesvirus. Only one animal was positive for herpesvirus, hampering further considerations on this virus. DMV was detected in all animals, both in FTA® card imprints and tissue samples, with differences possibly related to the decomposition condition category of the carcasses. Tissue sampling on FTA® cards seems a promising alternative to frozen tissues for biomolecular analyses, especially when ensuring adequate storage and shipment conditions for frozen tissues is difficult.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Si
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (H.S.); (M.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Claudia Maria Tucciarone
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (H.S.); (M.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Mattia Cecchinato
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (H.S.); (M.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Matteo Legnardi
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (H.S.); (M.C.); (M.L.)
| | - Sandro Mazzariol
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (S.M.); (C.C.)
| | - Cinzia Centelleghe
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padua, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy; (S.M.); (C.C.)
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Morick D, Davidovich N, Zemah-Shamir Z, Kroin Y, Bigal E, Sierra E, Segura-Göthlin S, Wosnick N, Hauser-Davis RA, Tchernov D, Scheinin AP. First description of a Gammaherpesvirus in a common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Vet Res Commun 2023; 47:2253-2258. [PMID: 37088865 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-023-10125-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
In September 2020, a male common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) was found dead on a beach near Bat-Yam, Israel. A small, raised, well circumscribed penile lesion (i.e., mass) was identified and removed for histology and molecular characterizations. By histology, the penile mass presented focal keratinization of the squamous epithelium and a mild ballooning of acanthocytes in lower epithelium levels, as well as features compatible with viral plaques, and tested positive for a gammaherpesvirus through molecular characterization analyses. Tissue samples from the lungs, liver, and spleen, however, tested negative for herpesvirus infection. The gammaherpesvirus detected herein is similar to other isolates found in several areas worldwide in different cetacean species. This is the first reported case of gammaherpesvirus infection in dolphins from the eastern Mediterranean Sea, indicative of the need for long-term assessments to create viral infections databases in cetaceans, especially in a climate change context, which is likely to intensify infectious disease outbreaks in marine mammals in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny Morick
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
- Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering, Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.
| | - Nadav Davidovich
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Israeli Veterinary Services, 20250, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Ziv Zemah-Shamir
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yael Kroin
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eyal Bigal
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | - Eva Sierra
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Trasmontaña, s/n, 35413, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - Simone Segura-Göthlin
- Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Trasmontaña, s/n, 35413, Las Palmas, Spain
| | - Natascha Wosnick
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, 81531-980, Brazil
| | - Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4.365Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Dan Tchernov
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Hong Kong Branch of Southern Marine Science and Engineering, Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Aviad P Scheinin
- Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Marine Biology, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
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Vargas-Castro I, Crespo-Picazo JL, Jiménez Martínez MÁ, Marco-Cabedo V, Muñoz-Baquero M, García-Párraga D, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM. First description of a lesion in the upper digestive mucosa associated with a novel gammaherpesvirus in a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in the Western Mediterranean Sea. BMC Vet Res 2023; 19:118. [PMID: 37563731 PMCID: PMC10413511 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-023-03677-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A wide variety of lesions have been associated with herpesvirus in cetaceans. However, descriptions of herpesvirus infections in the digestive system of cetaceans are scarce. CASE REPORT A young female striped dolphin stranded in the Valencian Community (Spain) on the 6th August 2021. The animal showed external macroscopic lesions suggestive of an aggressive interaction with bottlenose dolphins (rake marks in the epidermis). Internally, the main findings included congestion of the central nervous system and multiple, well-defined, whitish, irregularly shaped, proliferative lesions on the oropharyngeal and laryngopharyngeal mucosa. Histopathology revealed lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic meningoencephalitis, consistent with neuro brucellosis. The oropharyngeal and laryngopharyngeal plaques were comprised histologically of focally extensive epithelial hyperplasia. As part of the health surveillance program tissue samples were tested for cetacean morbillivirus using a real-time reverse transcription-PCR, for Brucella spp. using a real-time PCR, and for herpesvirus using a conventional nested PCR. All samples were negative for cetacean morbillivirus; molecular positivity for Brucella spp. was obtained in pharyngeal tonsils and cerebrospinal fluid; herpesvirus was detected in a proliferative lesion in the upper digestive mucosa. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the herpesvirus sequence was included in the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily. This novel sequence showed the greatest identity with other Herpesvirus sequences detected in skin, pharyngeal and genital lesions in five different species. CONCLUSIONS To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a proliferative lesion in the upper digestive mucosa associated with gammaherpesvirus posititvity in a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Vargas-Castro
- VISAVET Center and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
| | - José Luis Crespo-Picazo
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46013, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mª Ángeles Jiménez Martínez
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - Vicente Marco-Cabedo
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46013, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Muñoz-Baquero
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46013, Valencia, Spain
| | - Daniel García-Párraga
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunidad Valenciana, 46013, Valencia, Spain
- Biology Department, Oceanogràfic, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, 46013, Valencia, Spain
| | - José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Center and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
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Molecular Characterization of Herpesviral Encephalitis in Cetaceans: Correlation with Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Findings. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091149. [PMID: 35565575 PMCID: PMC9105563 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In this study we describe the molecular and pathological characteristics of alpha- and gamma-herpesvirus infection of the central nervous system of stranded cetaceans and correlate them with viral load, immunohistochemical findings and biological data such as age, sex, and the presence of co-infections. The viruses (alpha- and gamma-herpesvirus) were detected in twelve out of 103 analysed stranded cetaceans and were associated with a wide range of histopathological lesions, as previously described for these and other species. In five out the twelve animals, lesions were severe enough (malacia, neuronal necrosis and neuronophagia) to cause death. Intranuclear inclusions bodies were present in brain tissue samples from half of the HV-positive animals, indicating that the injury was due to an infective agent belonging to a group of filterable viruses. These results are in accordance with immunohistochemical findings, as all the brain tissue samples with INIBs were immunolabeled with Anti-HSV1. Males, juveniles, and calves were predominantly infected among the analysed cetaceans and a 41.6% (5/12) incidence of co-infections in the brain was detected, with three animals co-infected with Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV). In this study, we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first histopathological evidence of superinfection between HV and DMV pathogens in brain tissue. Abstract Herpesviruses are causative agents of meningitis and encephalitis in cetaceans, which are among the main leading known natural causes of death in these species. Brain samples from 103 stranded cetaceans were retrospectively screened for the presence of herpesvirus DNA in the brain. Molecular detection of Cetacean Morbillivirus was performed in HV positive brain cases. Histopathologic evaluation of brain samples included the presence or absence of the following findings (n = 7): meningitis, perivascular cuffings, microgliosis, intranuclear inclusion bodies, malacia, neuronal necrosis and neurophagic nodules, and haemorrhages. Histological evidence of the involvement of other etiological agents led to complementary analysis. We detected the presence of alpha and gamma-HVs in 12 out of 103 (11.6%) brain samples from stranded cetaceans of five different species: one bottlenose dolphin, six striped dolphins, three Atlantic spotted dolphins, one Cuvier’s beaked whale, and one common dolphin. Pathogenic factors such as viral strain, age, sex, and the presence of co-infections were analysed and correlated with the brain histopathological findings in each case. Herpesvirus was more prevalent in males, juveniles, and calves and a 41.6% incidence of co-infections in the brain was detected in our study: three with Dolphin Morbillivirus, one with Staphilococcus aureus septicaemia and one with Brucella spp.
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Park SH, Kyndt JA, Brown JK. Comparison of Auxenochlorella protothecoides and Chlorella spp. Chloroplast Genomes: Evidence for Endosymbiosis and Horizontal Virus-like Gene Transfer. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12030458. [PMID: 35330209 PMCID: PMC8955559 DOI: 10.3390/life12030458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Resequencing of the chloroplast genome (cpDNA) of Auxenochlorella protothecoides UTEX 25 was completed (GenBank Accession no. KC631634.1), revealing a genome size of 84,576 base pairs and 30.8% GC content, consistent with features reported for the previously sequenced A. protothecoides 0710, (GenBank Accession no. KC843975). The A. protothecoides UTEX 25 cpDNA encoded 78 predicted open reading frames, 32 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs, making it smaller and more compact than the cpDNA genome of C. variabilis (124,579 bp) and C. vulgaris (150,613 bp). By comparison, the compact genome size of A. protothecoides was attributable primarily to a lower intergenic sequence content. The cpDNA coding regions of all known Chlorella species were found to be organized in conserved colinear blocks, with some rearrangements. The Auxenochlorella and Chlorella species genome structure and composition were similar, and of particular interest were genes influencing photosynthetic efficiency, i.e., chlorophyll synthesis and photosystem subunit I and II genes, consistent with other biofuel species of interest. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Prototheca cutis is the closest known A. protothecoides relative, followed by members of the genus Chlorella. The cpDNA of A. protothecoides encodes 37 genes that are highly homologous to representative cyanobacteria species, including rrn16, rrn23, and psbA, corroborating a well-recognized symbiosis. Several putative coding regions were identified that shared high nucleotide sequence identity with virus-like sequences, suggestive of horizontal gene transfer. Despite these predictions, no corresponding transcripts were obtained by RT-PCR amplification, indicating they are unlikely to be expressed in the extant lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Hyuck Park
- School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (S.-H.P.); (J.K.B.)
- Institute of Cannabis Research, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Pueblo, CO 81001, USA
| | - John A. Kyndt
- College of Science and Technology, Bellevue University, Bellevue, NE 68005, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Judith K. Brown
- School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (S.-H.P.); (J.K.B.)
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Exposto Novoselecki H, Catão-Dias JL, Ewbank AC, Navas-Suárez PE, Duarte-Benvenuto A, Lial HC, Costa Silva S, Sánchez-Sarmiento AM, Gravena W, da Silva VMF, Carvalho VL, Marmontel M, Bertozzi CP, Lanes Ribeiro V, Del Rio do Valle R, Marigo J, das Neves CG, Esperón F, Sacristán C. Highly divergent herpesviruses in threatened river dolphins from Brazil. Sci Rep 2021; 11:24528. [PMID: 34972839 PMCID: PMC8720088 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04059-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
River dolphins are a highly threatened polyphyletic group comprised of four odontocete families: Iniidae, Pontoporiidae, Lipotidae, and Platanistidae, the first two endemic to South America. To address the knowledge gap regarding infectious agents in this cetacean group, we surveyed the presence of herpesviruses by PCR in skin and/or blood samples of live-captured Amazon (Inia geoffrensis, n = 25) and Bolivian (Inia boliviensis, n = 22) river dolphins of the Amazon basin and in selected tissue samples of franciscanas (Pontoporia blainvillei, n = 27) stranded or bycaught in southeastern Brazil. Additionally, available franciscana tissue samples were examined by histopathology. Herpesvirus DNA was amplified in 13 Bolivian river dolphins (59.1%, 95% CI 38.5–79.6%) and 14 franciscanas (51.9%, 95% CI 33.0–70.7%). All Amazon river dolphins were herpesvirus-negative. Two different herpesviruses were found in Bolivian river dolphins: a previously known gammaherpesvirus detected in blood and/or skin samples of all positive individuals and a novel alphaherpesvirus in the skin of one animal. A new gammaherpesvirus was found in several franciscana samples—the first herpesvirus recorded in Pontoporiidae. Intranuclear inclusion bodies consistent with herpesvirus were observed in the lymph node of one franciscana. The high divergence among the obtained herpesviruses and those previously described can be explained by viral-host coevolution, and by the fact that these populations are fairly isolated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Exposto Novoselecki
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - José Luiz Catão-Dias
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Ewbank
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Pedro Enrique Navas-Suárez
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Aricia Duarte-Benvenuto
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Henrique Christino Lial
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Samira Costa Silva
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Angélica María Sánchez-Sarmiento
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | - Waleska Gravena
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, 69067-375, Brazil.,Instituto de Saúde e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Coari, AM, 69460-000, Brazil
| | | | - Vitor L Carvalho
- Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos, Caucaia, CE, 61627-210, Brazil
| | - Miriam Marmontel
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé, AM, 69553-225, Brazil
| | - Carolina P Bertozzi
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Campus do Litoral Paulista, São Vicente, SP, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Lanes Ribeiro
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP, Campus do Litoral Paulista, São Vicente, SP, Brazil.,Instituto Biopesca, Praia Grande, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Juliana Marigo
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil
| | | | - Fernando Esperón
- Veterinary Department, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, C/Tajo S/N, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Sacristán
- Laboratory of Wildlife Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508-270, Brazil.
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9
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Vargas-Castro I, Melero M, Crespo-Picazo JL, Jiménez MDLÁ, Sierra E, Rubio-Guerri C, Arbelo M, Fernández A, García-Párraga D, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM. Systematic Determination of Herpesvirus in Free-Ranging Cetaceans Stranded in the Western Mediterranean: Tissue Tropism and Associated Lesions. Viruses 2021; 13:v13112180. [PMID: 34834986 PMCID: PMC8621769 DOI: 10.3390/v13112180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The monitoring of herpesvirus infection provides useful information when assessing marine mammals’ health. This paper shows the prevalence of herpesvirus infection (80.85%) in 47 cetaceans stranded on the coast of the Valencian Community, Spain. Of the 966 tissues evaluated, 121 tested positive when employing nested-PCR (12.53%). The largest proportion of herpesvirus-positive tissue samples was in the reproductive system, nervous system, and tegument. Herpesvirus was more prevalent in females, juveniles, and calves. More than half the DNA PCR positive tissues contained herpesvirus RNA, indicating the presence of actively replicating virus. This RNA was most frequently found in neonates. Fourteen unique sequences were identified. Most amplified sequences belonged to the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily, but a greater variation was found in Alphaherpesvirinae sequences. This is the first report of systematic herpesvirus DNA and RNA determination in free-ranging cetaceans. Nine (19.14%) were infected with cetacean morbillivirus and all of them (100%) were coinfected with herpesvirus. Lesions similar to those caused by herpesvirus in other species were observed, mainly in the skin, upper digestive tract, genitalia, and central nervous system. Other lesions were also attributable to concomitant etiologies or were nonspecific. It is necessary to investigate the possible role of herpesvirus infection in those cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Vargas-Castro
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (C.R.-G.); (J.M.S.-V.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Mar Melero
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (C.R.-G.); (J.M.S.-V.)
- Division of External Health, Government Delegation in the Community of Madrid, Ministry of Territorial Policy, 28071 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis Crespo-Picazo
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, 46013 Valencia, Spain; (J.L.C.-P.); (D.G.-P.)
| | - María de los Ángeles Jiménez
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Eva Sierra
- Division of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute for Animal Health, Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Canary Islands, Spain; (E.S.); (M.A.); (A.F.)
| | - Consuelo Rubio-Guerri
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (C.R.-G.); (J.M.S.-V.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Manuel Arbelo
- Division of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute for Animal Health, Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Canary Islands, Spain; (E.S.); (M.A.); (A.F.)
| | - Antonio Fernández
- Division of Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Institute for Animal Health, Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Canary Islands, Spain; (E.S.); (M.A.); (A.F.)
| | - Daniel García-Párraga
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, 46013 Valencia, Spain; (J.L.C.-P.); (D.G.-P.)
| | - José Manuel Sánchez-Vizcaíno
- VISAVET Health Surveillance Centre and Animal Health Department, Veterinary School, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.M.); (C.R.-G.); (J.M.S.-V.)
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10
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Zheng J, Wang J, Gong Z, Han GZ. Molecular fossils illuminate the evolution of retroviruses following a macroevolutionary transition from land to water. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009730. [PMID: 34252162 PMCID: PMC8297934 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ancestor of cetaceans underwent a macroevolutionary transition from land to water early in the Eocene Period >50 million years ago. However, little is known about how diverse retroviruses evolved during this shift from terrestrial to aquatic environments. Did retroviruses transition into water accompanying their hosts? Did retroviruses infect cetaceans through cross-species transmission after cetaceans invaded the aquatic environments? Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) provide important molecular fossils for tracing the evolution of retroviruses during this macroevolutionary transition. Here, we use a phylogenomic approach to study the origin and evolution of ERVs in cetaceans. We identify a total of 8,724 ERVs within the genomes of 25 cetaceans, and phylogenetic analyses suggest these ERVs cluster into 315 independent lineages, each of which represents one or more independent endogenization events. We find that cetacean ERVs originated through two possible routes. 298 ERV lineages may derive from retrovirus endogenization that occurred before or during the transition from land to water of cetaceans, and most of these cetacean ERVs were reaching evolutionary dead-ends. 17 ERV lineages are likely to arise from independent retrovirus endogenization events that occurred after the split of mysticetes and odontocetes, indicating that diverse retroviruses infected cetaceans through cross-species transmission from non-cetacean mammals after the transition to aquatic life of cetaceans. Both integration time and synteny analyses support the recent or ongoing activity of multiple retroviral lineages in cetaceans, some of which proliferated into hundreds of copies within the host genomes. Although ERVs only recorded a proportion of past retroviral infections, our findings illuminate the complex evolution of retroviruses during one of the most marked macroevolutionary transitions in vertebrate history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialu Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhen Gong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Guan-Zhu Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
- * E-mail:
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11
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Contribution to Herpesvirus Surveillance in Beaked Whales Stranded in the Canary Islands. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11071923. [PMID: 34203458 PMCID: PMC8300104 DOI: 10.3390/ani11071923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Herpesviruses (HVs) are a large family of DNA viruses infecting animals (including insects and mollusks) and humans. Cetaceans can be also infected by HVs presenting different range of lesions, from dermatitis to meningoencephalitis, or being asymptomatic. Several studies have addressed the question of HVs in cetaceans, although no previous systematic survey of HV in beaked whales (BWs) (Ziphiidae family) has been previously performed. The family Ziphiidae, which includes 22 species in 6 genera, is one of the most widespread families of cetaceans, with a strict oceanic habitat pattern. Beaked whales, Cuvier’s BW in particular, are one of the deepest diving whales and are of particular interest because of a notable relationship between military operations employing mid-frequency sonar and the mass stranding of BWs in different geographic areas, including the Canary Islands. In this study, we analyzed 55 BWs (294 samples) stranded in the Canary Islands from 1990 to 2017 by molecular methods (conventional nested polymerase chain reaction). Our results showed that 8 BWs were infected by HVs, although only three animals displayed lesions indicative of active viral replication. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that HV-BW sequences are species-specific, although more studies are needed to better address this question. Abstract Herpesviruses (HVs) (Alpha- and Gammaherpesvirinae subfamilies) have been detected in several species of cetaceans with different pathological implications. However, available information on their presence in beaked whales (BWs) is still scarce. In this study, a total of 55 BWs (35 Ziphius cavirostris and 20 animals belonging to the Mesoplodon genus) were analyzed. Samples (n = 294) were obtained from BWs stranded along the coasts of the Canary Islands (1990–2017). Molecular detection of HV was performed by means of a conventional nested PCR based on the DNA polymerase gene. Herpesvirus was detected in 14.45% (8/55) of the analyzed BWs, including 2 positive animals from a previous survey. A percentage positivity of 8.57% was found within the Cuvier’s BW group, while the percentage of positivity rose to 25% within the Mesoplodon genus group (three M. densirostris, one M. europaeus, and one M. bidens). All the obtained sequences from this study belonged to the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, from which three are considered novel sequences, all of them within the Mesoplodon genus group. In addition, to our knowledge, this is the first description of HV infection in Gervais’ and Sowerby’s BWs. Three out of eight HV-positive BWs displayed histopathological lesions indicative of active viral replication.
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12
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Microbiota fingerprints within the oral cavity of cetaceans as indicators for population biomonitoring. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13679. [PMID: 31548611 PMCID: PMC6757053 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50139-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The composition of mammalian microbiota has been related with the host health status. In this study, we assessed the oral microbiome of 3 cetacean species most commonly found stranded in Iberian Atlantic waters (Delphinus delphis, Stenella coeruleoalba and Phocoena phocoena), using 16S rDNA-amplicon metabarcoding. All oral microbiomes were dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria bacteria, which were also predominant in the oral cavity of Tursiops truncatus. A Constrained Canonical Analysis (CCA) showed that the major factors shaping the composition of 38 oral microbiomes (p-value < 0.05) were: (i) animal species and (ii) age class, segregating adults and juveniles. The correlation analysis also grouped the microbiomes by animal stranding location and health status. Similar discriminatory patterns were detected using the data from a previous study on Tursiops truncatus, indicating that this correlation approach may facilitate data comparisons between different studies on several cetacean species. This study identified a total of 15 bacterial genera and 27 OTUs discriminating between the observed CCA groups, which can be further explored as microbiota fingerprints to develop (i) specific diagnostic assays for cetacean population conservation and (ii) bio-monitoring approaches to assess the health of marine ecosystems from the Iberian Atlantic basin, using cetaceans as bioindicators.
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