title: Detection of a novel gammaherpesvirus (genus Rhadinovirus) in wild muntjac deer in Northern Ireland.
abstract: This study represents the initial part of an investigation into the potential for non-native, wild, free-living muntjac deer (Muntiacus reevesi) to carry viruses that could be a threat to livestock. A degenerate PCR assay was used to screen a range of tissues from muntjac deer culled in Northern Ireland for the presence of herpesviral nucleic acids. This was followed by sequencing of PCR amplicons and phylogenetic analysis. We report the detection of a novel gammaherpesvirus most closely related to a type 2 ruminant rhadinovirus from mule deer. It remains to be determined if this new virus is pathogenic to deer or presents a risk to food security through the susceptibility of domestic livestock.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK. john.mckillen@afbini.gov.uk.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McKillen
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, MBC, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
authors.forename: Kayleigh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lagan
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK.
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast, BT4 3SD, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, MBC, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.|Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS), Queen's University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BN, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7TS, UK.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, MBC, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.|Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS), Queen's University Belfast, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 5BN, UK.
authors.forename: Jaimie T A
authors.initials: JTA
authors.lastname: Dick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D018668:Muntjacs; D009660:Northern Ireland; D010802:Phylogeny; D018144:Rhadinovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Degenerate PCR; Gammaherpesvirus; Muntiacus reevesi; Muntjac deer; Rhadinovirus