title: Feline leukemia virus outbreak in the critically endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus): high-throughput sequencing of envelope variable region A and experimental transmission.
abstract: The Iberian lynx is the most endangered felid species. During winter/spring 2006/7, a feline leukemia virus (FeLV) outbreak of unexpected virulence killed about 2/3 of the infected Iberian lynxes. All FeLV-positive animals were co-infected with feline hemoplasmas. To further characterize the Iberian lynx FeLV strain and evaluate its potential virulence, the FeLV envelope gene variable region A (VRA) mutant spectrum was analyzed using the Roche 454 sequencing technology, and an in vivo transmission study of lynx blood to specified-pathogen-free cats was performed. VRA mutations indicated weak apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme and catalytic polypeptide-like cytidine deaminase (APOBEC) restriction of FeLV replication, and variants characteristic of aggressive FeLV strains, such as FeLV-C or FeLV-A/61C, were not detected. Cats exposed to FeLV/Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum-positive lynx blood did not show a particularly severe outcome of infection. The results underscore the special susceptibility of Iberian lynxes to infectious diseases.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Geret
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cattori
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Meli
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Riond
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vargas
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Simón
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: López-Bao
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hofmann-Lehmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005256:Leukemia Virus, Feline / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D046008:Lynx / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins