title: Seal gammaherpesviruses: identification, characterisation and epidemiology.
abstract: Phocid herpesvirus type 2 (PhHV-2), tentatively classified as a gammaherpesvirus, has been isolated from European and American harbour seals (Phoca vitulina). Here we describe the isolation and the molecular as well as biological characterisation of different PhHV-2 isolates from harbour seals and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). Of 522 harbour seals and 231 grey seals that had been admitted to the seal research and rehabilitation centre in Pieterburen, The Netherlands, between 1992 and 2000, 38 and 18%, respectively, proved to have PhHV-2 neutralising antibodies. PhHV-2 was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 12 and 28% of these seropositive animals, respectively, and 26 and 56% of these cell samples, respectively, were positive by PCR analysis. Analysis of amino acid sequences of PCR products and of the growth characteristics of different PhHV-2 isolates indicated that harbour and grey seals are infected with distinct gamma-herpesviruses, which however, may co-circulate between the two species.
authors.affiliation: Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre, Hoofdstraat 94a, 9968 AG Pieterburen, Netherlands.
authors.forename: B E E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Martina
authors.forename: G M G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Verjans
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuiken
authors.forename: M W G
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: van de Bildt
authors.forename: P A C
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Bergen
authors.forename: A D M E
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Osterhaus
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral; D018142:Gammaherpesvirinae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000821:virology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014776:Virus Cultivation
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral