title: Identification of a novel herpesvirus associated with cutaneous ulcers in a fisher (Martes pennanti).
abstract: On December 8, 2008, a male fisher (Martes pennanti) housed in a quarantine enclosure at the St-Félicien Zoo was found dead with multiple skin ulcers on the muzzle and plantar pads. At necropsy, no major findings were found, and a specific cause of death was not determined microscopically. However, at the borders of ulcerated sites, there were increased numbers of koilocytes, with perinuclear vacuolation and nuclear enlargement. A pan-herpesvirus nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was conducted, and an expected PCR product of 230 nucleotides was obtained within tissues collected from around the skin ulcers. Other tissues, including intestines and pool of lung, liver, and kidney, tested negative. The obtained PCR amplicon was sequenced and was highly related to the partial viral DNA polymerase (DPOL) gene of Mustelid herpesvirus 1. Virus isolation was negative, and no virion was detected by electron microscopy. The pathogenic potential of this novel herpesvirus and its role in the death of the fisher are unknown.
authors: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, 3200 Sicotte Street, St-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. carl.a.gagnon@umontreal.ca
authors: Carl A
authors: CA
authors: Gagnon
authors: Josée
authors: J
authors: Tremblay
authors: Danielle
authors: D
authors: Larochelle
authors: Nedzad
authors: N
authors: Music
authors: Donald
authors: D
authors: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral / Q000502:physiology; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D045969:Mustelidae; D017193:Skin Diseases, Viral / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins