Herpesviruses in Reptiles

Abstract

Since the 1970s, several species of herpesviruses have been identified and associated with significant diseases in reptiles. Earlier discoveries placed these viruses into different taxonomic groups on the basis of morphological and biological characteristics, while advancements in molecular methods have led to more recent descriptions of novel reptilian herpesviruses, as well as providing insight into the phylogenetic relationship of these viruses. Herpesvirus infections in reptiles are often characterised by non-pathognomonic signs including stomatitis, encephalitis, conjunctivitis, hepatitis and proliferative lesions. With the exception of fibropapillomatosis in marine turtles, the absence of specific clinical signs has fostered misdiagnosis and underreporting of the actual disease burden in reptilian populations and hampered potential investigations that could lead to the effective control of these diseases. In addition, complex life histories, sampling bias and poor monitoring systems have limited the assessment of the impact of herpesvirus infections in wild populations and captive collections. Here we review the current published knowledge of the taxonomy, pathogenesis, pathology and epidemiology of reptilian herpesviruses.

Piscichuviral encephalitis in marine and freshwater chelonians: first evidence of jingchuviral disease

“…In mammals, a number of viruses are associated with this histopathologic presentation, including herpesviruses (4), alphavirus (5), flaviviruses (6), morbilliviruses (7), etc. In reptiles, infection with herpesviruses (8), adenoviruses (9,10), picornaviruses (11), arenaviruses (12), and paramyxoviruses (13) are potential causes of . CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license available under a (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.…”

Symblepharon, Ankyloblepharon, and Salt Gland Dysfunction in a Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)

“…Green turtles might also be affected by ChHV-6, which has been suggested to be responsible for lung-eye-trachea disease, characterized by ulceration and accumulation of caseous debris localized to the eye, oropharynx, trachea, and lungs. Another herpesvirus, genetically like ChHV-6 and referred to as loggerhead genital-respiratory herpesvirus, was found in the necropsy of a loggerhead sea turtle exhibiting several lesions, including ulcers along the mucocutaneous junction of the eyelids [23][24][25]. A qualitative PCR test excluded the presence of the chelonid herpesvirus in our case, as all tissue samples were negative.…”

Archaic connectivity between the sulfated heparan sulfate and the herpesviruses – An evolutionary potential for cross-species interactions

“…1 B). Interestingly, species-specific herpesviruses have also been shown to infect a wide variety of ancient organisms such as oysters, zebrafish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and primates [45] , [46] , [47] , [48] , [49] . Since the receptor usage is known to be a key determinant for virus infectivity along with their involvement in disease development [50] , [51] , it is logical to ask if sulfated HS may have played a role during viral entry in the primitive and advanced forms of life infected with herpesviruses.…”