Molecular evidence for horizontal transmission of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 at green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging grounds in Queensland, Australia

Karina Jones; Graham Burgess; A. M. Budd; R. Huerlimann; Narges Mashkour; Ellen Ariel

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0227268

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Molecular evidence for horizontal transmission of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 at green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging grounds in Queensland, Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Molecular evidence for horizontal transmission of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 at green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging grounds in Queensland, Australia

Karina Jones, Graham Burgess, A. M. Budd, R. Huerlimann, Narges Mashkour and Ellen Ariel

PloS one, Vol.15(1), e0227268

2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0227268

PMID: 31917785

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Abstract

Alphaherpesvirinae - genetics

Alphaherpesvirinae - isolation & purification

Alphaherpesvirinae - pathogenicity

Animals

Aquatic Organisms - virology

Datasets as Topic

DNA, Viral - genetics

DNA, Viral - isolation & purification

Endangered Species

Gene Transfer, Horizontal

Herpesviridae Infections - transmission

Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary

Herpesviridae Infections - virology

Pacific Ocean

Phylogeny

Polymerase Chain Reaction

Queensland

Turtles - virology

Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a marine turtle disease recognised by benign tumours on the skin, eyes, shell, oral cavity and/or viscera. Despite being a globally distributed disease that affects an endangered species, research on FP and its likely causative agent chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) in Australia is limited. Here we present improved molecular assays developed for detection of ChHV5, in combination with a robust molecular and phylogenetic analysis of ChHV5 variants. This approach utilised a multi-gene assay to detect ChHV5 in all FP tumors sampled from 62 marine turtles found at six foraging grounds along the Great Barrier Reef. Six distinct variants of ChHV5 were identified and the distribution of these variants was associated with host foraging ground. Conversely, no association between host genetic origin and ChHV5 viral variant was found. Together this evidence supports the hypothesis that marine turtles undergo horizontal transmission of ChHV5 at foraging grounds and are unlikely to be contracting the disease at rookeries, either during mating or vertically from parent to offspring.

Details

Title: Molecular evidence for horizontal transmission of chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 at green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging grounds in Queensland, Australia
Authors/Creators: Karina Jones
Graham Burgess - James Cook University
A. M. Budd
R. Huerlimann
Narges Mashkour - James Cook University
Ellen Ariel - James Cook University
Publication Details: PloS one, Vol.15(1), e0227268
Publisher: Public Library of Science
Number of pages: 22
Identifiers: 991005760433907891
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology; 3.35.683 Reptile Ecology
Web Of Science research areas: Virology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science