title: Identification of Novel Cetacean Poxviruses in Cetaceans Stranded in South West England.
abstract: Poxvirus infections in marine mammals have been mainly reported through their clinical lesions and electron microscopy (EM). Poxvirus particles in association with such lesions have been demonstrated by EM and were previously classified as two new viruses, cetacean poxvirus 1 (CePV-1) and cetacean poxvirus 2 (CePV-2). In this study, epidermal pox lesions in cetaceans stranded in South West England (Cornwall) between 2008 and 2012 were investigated by electron microscopy and molecular analysis. PCR and sequencing of a highly conserved region within the viral DNA polymerase gene ruled out both parapox- and orthopoxviruses. Moreover, phylogenetic analysis of the PCR product clustered the sequences with those previously described as cetacean poxviruses. However, taking the close genetic distance of this gene fragment across the family of poxviridae into account, it is reasonable to postulate further, novel cetacean poxvirus species. The nucleotide similarity within each cluster (tentative species) detected ranged from 98.6% to 100%, whilst the similarity between the clusters was no more than 95%. The detection of several species of poxvirus in different cetacean species confirms the likelihood of a heterogeneous cetacean poxvirus genus, comparable to the heterogeneity observed in other poxvirus genera.
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Polwhele, Truro, United Kingdom; Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Science Division, APHA, Weybridge, Addlestone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dastjerdi
authors.affiliation: Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Polwhele, Truro, United Kingdom; Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Inverness, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.affiliation: UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, Institute of Zoology, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deaville
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Science Division, APHA, Weybridge, Addlestone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Everest
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Science Division, APHA, Weybridge, Addlestone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peake
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Science Division, APHA, Weybridge, Addlestone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finnegan
authors.affiliation: UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, Institute of Zoology, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jepson
authors.affiliation: Virology Department, Science Division, APHA, Weybridge, Addlestone, United Kingdom; School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Falko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Steinbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002591:Cetacea / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics*; D004739:England; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011212:Poxviridae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D011213:Poxviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase