title: Evidence from nature: interspecies spread of heron hepatitis B viruses.
abstract: Heron hepatitis B viruses (HHBVs) in three subspecies of free-living great blue herons (Ardea herodias) from Florida, USA, were identified and characterized. Eight of 13 samples were positive in all assays used, whereas sera from egrets, which are also members of the family Ardeidae, were negative in the same assays. Comparative phylogenetic analysis of viral DNA sequences from the preS/S region of previously reported and novel HHBV strains isolated from captive grey herons (Germany) and free-ranging great blue herons (USA), respectively, revealed a strong conservation (95 % sequence similarity) with two separate clusters, implying a common ancestor of all strains. Our data demonstrate for the first time that different subspecies of herons are infected by HHBV and that these infections exist in non-captive birds. Phylogenetic analysis and the fact that the different heron species are geographically isolated populations suggest that lateral transmission, virus adaptation and environmental factors all play a role in HHBV spreading and evolution.
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, PO Box 201652, 20206 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, PO Box 201652, 20206 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prassolov
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, PO Box 201652, 20206 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anneke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.affiliation: Florida Keys Wild Bird Centre, Tavernier, FL 33070, USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, PO Box 201652, 20206 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hohenberg
authors.affiliation: Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frölich
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7290, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newbold
authors.affiliation: Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, PO Box 201652, 20206 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Will
authors.affiliation: Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, PO Box 201652, 20206 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sirma
authors.affiliation: Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Falko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steinbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017917:Avihepadnavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D018347:Hepadnaviridae Infections / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; C118669:S envelope protein, hepatitis B virus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins