Phylogenetic characterization of a novel herpesvirus found in the liver and lungs of a Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)

Development of subfamily-based consensus PCR assays for the detection of human and animal herpesviruses

Consensus PCR assays that can be used to sensitively detect several herpesvirus (HV) species across the different subfamilies were developed in this study. Primers containing degenerate bases were designed to amplify regions of the DNA polymerase (DPOL) gene of alpha- and gamma-HVs, and the glycoprotein B (gB) gene of beta-HVs in a singleplex, non-nested touchdown PCR format. The singleplex touchdown consensus PCR (STC-PCR) was used to amplify the DNA of eight human and 24 animal HVs. The assay was able to detect the lowest DNA dilution of 10^-5 for alpha-HVs and 10^-3 for beta- and gamma-HVs. In comparison, lowest detection limits of 10^-5, 10^-3, and 10^-2 were obtained for alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HVs respectively when a nested PCR was used. The findings in this study suggest that the STC-PCR assays can be employed for the molecular surveys and clinical detection of novel and known HVs.

Novel viruses in birds: Flying through the roof or is a cage needed?

Emerging viral diseases continue to have a major global impact on human beings and animals. To be able to take adequate measures in case of an outbreak of an emerging disease, rapid detection of the causative agent is a crucial first step. In this review, various aspects of virus discovery are discussed, with a special focus on recently discovered viruses in birds. Novel viruses with a potential major impact have been discovered in domestic and wild bird species in recent years using various virus discovery methods. Only a few studies report the detection of novel viruses in endangered bird species, although increased knowledge about viruses circulating in these species is important. Additional studies focusing on the exact role of a novel virus in disease and on the impact of a novel virus on bird populations are often lacking. Intensive collaboration between different disciplines is needed to obtain useful information about the role of these novel viruses.