Distribution and load of elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses in tissues from associated fatalities of Asian elephants

Seilern-Moy, Katharina; Darpel, Karin E.; Steinbach, Falko; Dastjerdi, Akbar

doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2016.04.012

Cited by 17 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The significant gross and histopathological findings observed in EEHV-infected cases are hemorrhages of the internal organs and usually the presence of intranuclear inclusion bodies, predominantly in the endothelial cells 2 , 3 , 5 . A previous study of EEHV genome distribution revealed that the viral genome was shown to have been observed in the heart, followed by in the tongue and the liver, in that order 10 . However, it is unclear whether the viral genome was found within the blood vessels or the tissue parenchyma since DNA extraction was done on the whole tissue lysates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Presently, pathogenesis of EEHV in elephants remains unknown and data demonstrating EEHV pathogenesis in elephants are extremely scant. This might be due to the fact that propagation of EEHV in the cell culture system has not been successful thus far 1 , 2 , 10 . Moreover, limitations with regard to laboratory confirmation of EEHV-suspected cases in some areas may narrow down information about EEHV pathogenetic study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Production of antibody against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) unveils tissue tropisms and routes of viral transmission in EEHV-infected Asian elephants

Kochagul

Srivorakul

Boonsri

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is one of the most devastating viral infectious diseases in elephants worldwide. To date, it remains unclear how elephants get infected by the virus, where the virus persists, and what mechanisms drive the pathogenesis of the disease. The present study was aimed to develop an antibody against glycoprotein B (gB) of EEHV, investigate the EEHV tissue tropisms, and provide the possible routes of EEHV transmission in Asian elephants. Samples from elephant organs that had died from EEHV1A and EEHV4 infections, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from EEHV4- and non-EEHV-infected calves were used in this study. The results of western immunoblotting indicated that the antibody can be used for detection of gB antigens in both EEHV1A- and EEHV4-infected samples. Immunohistochemical detection indicated that the EEHV gB antigens were distributed mainly in the epithelial cells of the salivary glands, stomach and intestines. Immunofluorescence test of PBMC for EEHV gB in the EEHV4-infected calf indicated that the virus was observed predominantly in the mononuclear phagocytic cells. The findings in the present study unveil tissue tropisms in the EEHV1A- and EEHV4-infected calves and point out that saliva and intestinal content are likely sources for virus transmission in EEHV-infected Asian elephants.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Production of antibody against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) unveils tissue tropisms and routes of viral transmission in EEHV-infected Asian elephants

Kochagul

Srivorakul

Boonsri

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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“…The qPCR was performed on a MX3005P machine (Agilent Technologies, UK) using the cycling conditions of one cycle of 95 °C for five minutes followed by 45 cycles of 95 °C for 15 seconds, 60 °C for 30 seconds, and signal acquisition at the end of each cycle. The conventional PCRs were carried out as described [30] using several primer pairs to amplify partial sequences of polymerase (POL), glycoprotein L (gL) and gM genes.…”

Section: Case Presentationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surviving and fatal Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus-1A infections in juvenile Asian elephants – lessons learned and recommendations on anti-herpesviral therapy

et al. 2016

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BackgroundElephant Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses (EEHVs) can cause acute haemorrhagic disease in young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and clinical EEHV infections account for the majority of their fatalities. The anti-herpesviral drug famciclovir (FCV) has been used routinely to treat viraemic at-risk elephants, but thus far without proven efficacy. This paper presents clinical and virological investigations of two EEHV-1A infected elephants treated with FCV, and discusses anti-herpesvirus therapies of viraemic elephants.Cases presentationsTwo 1.5 year old male Asian elephants at a zoological collection in the UK developed clinical EEHV-1A infections. Case 1 showed signs of myalgia for the duration of 24 hours before returning back to normal. EEHV-1A DNAemia was confirmed on the day of clinical signs and continued to be present for 18 days in total. Trunk shedding of the virus commenced 10 days after detection of initial DNAemia. Case 2 tested positive for EEHV-1A DNAemia in a routine blood screening sample in the absence of clinical signs. The blood viral load increased exponentially leading up to fatal clinical disease seven days after initial detection of DNAemia. Both calves were treated with 15 mg/kg FCV per rectum on detection of DNAemia and penciclovir, the FCV metabolite, could be detected in the blood at assumed therapeutic levels. The early indicators for clinical disease were a marked absolute and relative drop in white blood cells, particularly monocytes prior to the detection of viraemia. The most prognostic haematological parameter at later stages of the disease was the platelet count showing a continuous sharp decline throughout, followed by a dramatic drop at the time of death.ConclusionsThe EEHV-1A viraemic animals investigated here further highlight the ongoing threat posed by these viruses to juvenile Asian elephants. The findings call into question the efficacy of rectal FCV in clinical cases and direct towards the use of alternative anti-herpesvirus drugs and complementary treatments such as plasma infusions if no improvement in either viral load or the above-mentioned blood parameters are observed in the initial days of viraemia despite anti-herpesvirus therapy.

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“…Multiple veterinary challenges are faced when managing elephants in zoos; for example, the elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV). The haemorrhagic disease caused by EEHV is one of the main causes of juvenile mortality in Asian elephants and thereby a significant threat to the conservation of Asian elephant populations (Seilern‐Moy, Bertelsen et al , ; Seilern‐Moy, Darpel et al , ). This disease has a sudden onset and multiple symptoms, such as massive internal haemorrhages, which can lead to death within 12–72 hours (van den Doel et al , ).…”

Section: Challenges Of Asian Elephant Eepmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although not accurate, some people frame the occurrence of EEHV‐haemorrhagic disease as a condition that only emerges in zoos. However, this disease also occurs in the wild (Seilern‐Moy, Darpel et al , ). These ambiguities make it difficult to predict how society will view the keeping of elephants in captivity in the future.…”

Section: Challenges Of Asian Elephant Eepmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of the management of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus EEP: current challenges and future solutions

Schmidt¹,

Kappelhof

2019

International Zoo Yearbook

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This article reviews the current situation in the Asian Elephant Elephas maximus European Association of Zoos and Aquaria Ex situ Programme (EEP). In recent years, developments in husbandry and gained knowledge about the reproductive biology of Asian elephants have contributed to increased breeding success and resulted in a mean of 15 births per year in the last 5 years. At the time of writing, the Asian elephant EEP population contains 307 individuals: 90.217 (♂♂.♀♀). Based on the life table for 1998–2018, most demographic parameters show healthy numbers [e.g. lambda (λ) = 1·025], while the population has retained 98·44% of the gene diversity. However, this EEP is also facing multiple challenges, such as the presence of subspecies, transport barriers between some EEP participants and the societal debate about the purpose of zoos. The growing number of male elephants in the EEP population appears to be the most immediate challenge. In the short term, the authors suggest that females could be managed to conceive for the first time at 8 years of age and adhere to an interbirth interval of 7 years. This would be an attempt to decrease the reproductive rate without compromising the future reproductive potential of the population. The authors also prescribe improving facilities for elephants to allow zoos to utilize a fission–fusion housing strategy, making it possible to house the increasing number of males appropriately over the longer term.

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Distribution and load of elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses in tissues from associated fatalities of Asian elephants

Cited by 17 publications

References 21 publications

Production of antibody against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) unveils tissue tropisms and routes of viral transmission in EEHV-infected Asian elephants

Production of antibody against elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) unveils tissue tropisms and routes of viral transmission in EEHV-infected Asian elephants

Surviving and fatal Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus-1A infections in juvenile Asian elephants – lessons learned and recommendations on anti-herpesviral therapy

Review of the management of the Asian elephant Elephas maximus EEP: current challenges and future solutions

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