Detection and Reporting of Ranavirus in Amphibians: Evaluation of the Roles of the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Published Literature

Black, Yvonne; Meredith, Anna; Price, Stephen J.

doi:10.7589/2016-08-176

Cited by 13 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Sequencing of a partial coding sequence of the MCP gene was useful for preliminary genotyping in that it revealed the presence of viruses from two of the major groups of Ranavirus in GB. However, as shown previously, this region lacked the resolution for fine-scale differentiation of ranaviruses [ 49 , 50 ]. The MCP sequences did not capture variation among British FV3-like viruses that has been observed previously [ 23 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna

et al. 2017

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Reports of severe disease outbreaks in amphibian communities in mainland Europe due to strains of the common midwife toad virus (CMTV)-like clade of Ranavirus are increasing and have created concern due to their considerable population impacts. In Great Britain, viruses in another clade of Ranavirus–frog virus 3 (FV3)-like—have caused marked declines of common frog (Rana temporaria) populations following likely recent virus introductions. The British public has been reporting mortality incidents to a citizen science project since 1992, with carcasses submitted for post-mortem examination, resulting in a long-term tissue archive spanning 25 years. We screened this archive for ranavirus (458 individuals from 228 incidents) using molecular methods and undertook preliminary genotyping of the ranaviruses detected. In total, ranavirus was detected in 90 individuals from 41 incidents focused in the north and south of England. The majority of detections involved common frogs (90%) but also another anuran, a caudate and a reptile. Most incidents were associated with FV3-like viruses but two, separated by 300 km and 16 years, involved CMTV-like viruses. These British CMTV-like viruses were more closely related to ranaviruses from mainland Europe than to each other and were estimated to have diverged at least 458 years ago. This evidence of a CMTV-like virus in Great Britain in 1995 represents the earliest confirmed case of a CMTV associated with amphibians and raises important questions about the history of ranavirus in Great Britain and the epidemiology of CMTV-like viruses. Despite biases present in the opportunistic sample used, this study also demonstrates the role of citizen science projects in generating resources for research and the value of maintaining long-term wildlife tissue archives.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna

et al. 2017

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“…The use of molecular diagnostics for detecting wildlife diseases has rapidly expanded in recent years due to ease of use and affordability, though the use of PCR as a sole diagnostic test for amphibian ranavirus infections has recently been questioned [ 61 ]. PCR-based tests are highly sensitive, and validated TaqMan primer-probes are quite specific.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of multiple mortality events in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina)

et al. 2018

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Wildlife mortality investigations are important for conservation, food safety, and public health; but they are infrequently reported for cryptic chelonian species. Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) are declining due to anthropogenic factors and disease, and while mortality investigations have been reported for captive and translocated individuals, few descriptions exist for free-living populations. We report the results of four natural mortality event investigations conducted during routine health surveillance of three Illinois box turtle populations in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015. In April 2011, over 50 box turtles were found dead and a polymicrobial necrotizing bacterial infection was diagnosed in five survivors using histopathology and aerobic/anaerobic culture. This represents the first reported occurrence of necrotizing bacterial infection in box turtles. In August 2013, paired histopathology and qPCR ranavirus detection in nine turtles was significantly associated with occupation of moist microhabitats, identification of oral plaques and nasal discharge on physical exam, and increases in the heterophil count and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (p < 0.05). In July 2014 and 2015, ranavirus outbreaks reoccurred within a 0.2km radius of highly-disturbed habitat containing ephemeral ponds used by amphibians for breeding. qPCR ranavirus detection in five individuals each year was significantly associated with use of moist microhabitats (p < 0.05). Detection of single and co-pathogens (Terrapene herpesvirus 1, adenovirus, and Mycoplasma sp.) was common before, during, and after mortality events, but improved sample size would be necessary to determine the impacts of these pathogens on the occurrence and outcome of mortality events. This study provides novel information about the causes and predictors of natural box turtle mortality events. Continued investigation of health, disease, and death in free-living box turtles will improve baseline knowledge of morbidity and mortality, identify threats to survival, and promote the formation of effective conservation strategies.

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“…Skin and liver or kidney samples were tested for the presence of chytrid fungi (Batrachochytrium [B.] dendrobatidis, B. salamandrivorans) and ranavirus by PCR, respectively, employing previously published protocols (Black et al 2017;Boyle et al 2004).…”

Section: Further Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic wasting associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae in three ex situ breeding facilities for tropical frogs

Eisenberg

Fawzy

Kaim

et al. 2020

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

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A number of different Chlamydia spp. have been detected in the class Amphibia with C. pneumoniae being the predominant species involved. Chlamydiae have been linked to mass mortality events, thereby representing significant pathogens that deserve attention with respect to worldwide amphibian decline. We here present six cases of chlamydiosis and asymptomatic chlamydial infections in different frog species from three ex situ amphibian conservation facilities. Clinical signs predominantly characterised by regurgitation, chronic wasting, lethargy and suspended breeding were associated with C. pneumoniae infection. Despite various treatment regimens, it was not possible to clear infections. However, intra vitam diagnostics succeeded from skin, faeces and urine for the first time.

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Detection and Reporting of Ranavirus in Amphibians: Evaluation of the Roles of the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Published Literature

Cited by 13 publications

References 41 publications

Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna

Screening of a long-term sample set reveals two Ranavirus lineages in British herpetofauna

Investigation of multiple mortality events in eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina)

Chronic wasting associated with Chlamydia pneumoniae in three ex situ breeding facilities for tropical frogs

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