Outbreak of common midwife toad virus in alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris cyreni) and common midwife toads (Alytes obstetricans) in northern Spain: a comparative pathological study of an emerging ranavirus.
This report describes the isolation and characterisation of the common midwife toad virus (CMTV) from juvenile alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris cyreni) and common midwife toad (CMT) tadpoles (Alytes obstetricans) in the Picos de Europa National Park in Northern Spain in August 2008. A comparative pathological and immunohistochemical study was carried out using anti-CMTV polyclonal serum. In the kidneys, glomeruli had the most severe histological lesions in CMT tadpoles, while both glomeruli and renal tubular epithelial cells exhibited foci of necrosis in juvenile alpine newts. Viral antigens were detected by immunohistochemical labelling mainly in the kidneys of CMT tadpoles and in ganglia of juvenile alpine newts. This is the first report of ranavirus infection in the alpine newt, the second known species to be affected by CMTV in the past 2 years.
Balseiro
Ana
A
SERIDA, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario, Laboratorio de Sanidad Animal, 33299 Jove, Gijón, Spain. abalseiro@serida.org
Dalton
Kevin P
KP
del Cerro
Ana
A
Márquez
Isabel
I
Parra
Francisco
F
Prieto
José M
JM
Casais
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002023:Bufo bufo / Q000821:virology*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D007673:Kidney Cortex Necrosis / Q000662:veterinary / Q000821:virology; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D007814:Larva / Q000821:virology; D017995:Ranavirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012455:Salamandridae / Q000821:virology*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D000956:Antigens, Viral