title: Isolation and characterization of a novel herpesvirus from a free-ranging eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus).
abstract: We isolated a macropodid herpesvirus from a free-ranging eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteous) displaying clinical signs of respiratory disease and possibly neurologic disease. Sequence analysis of the herpesvirus glycoprotein G (gG) and glycoprotein B (gB) genes revealed that the virus was an alphaherpesvirus most closely related to macropodid herpesvirus 2 (MaHV-2) with 82.7% gG and 94.6% gB amino acid sequence identity. Serologic analyses showed similar cross-neutralization patterns to those of MaHV-2. The two viruses had different growth characteristics in cell culture. Most notably, this virus formed significantly larger plaques and extensive syncytia when compared with MaHV-2. No syncytia were observed for MaHV-2. Restriction endonuclease analysis of whole viral genomes demonstrated distinct restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns for all three macropodid herpesviruses. These studies suggest that a distinct macropodid alphaherpesvirus may be capable of infecting and causing disease in eastern grey kangaroos.
authors: School of Veterinary Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors: Paola Karinna
authors: PK
authors: Vaz
authors: Julian
authors: J
authors: Motha
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: McCowan
authors: Nino
authors: N
authors: Ficorilli
authors: Pam Lizette
authors: PL
authors: Whiteley
authors: Colin Reginald
authors: CR
authors: Wilks
authors: Carol Anne
authors: CA
authors: Hartley
authors: James Rudkin
authors: JR
authors: Gilkerson
authors: Glenn Francis
authors: GF
authors: Browning
authors: Joanne Maree
authors: JM
authors: Devlin
mesh_terms: D018138:Alphaherpesvirinae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D001483:Base Sequence; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009500:Neutralization Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral