Characterization of a Novel Rhabdovirus Isolated from a Stranded Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

Characterization of a Novel Rhabdovirus Isolated from a Stranded Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Virus Res. 2019 Sep 06;:197742 Authors: Emelianchik A, Rodrigues TCS, Subramaniam K, Nielsen O, Burek-Huntington KA, Rotstein D, Popov VL, Stone D, Waltzek TB Abstract An adult male harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) stranded off the coast of Alaska displaying poor body condition, scattered mild ulcerative dermatitis, and necrotizing balanoposthitis. Necropsy findings included severe verminous panniculitis, pneumonia, hepatitis, and enteritis. Histopathological examination of skin lesions revealed a pustular epidermitis and dermatitis, with ballooning degeneration of keratinocytes and occasional eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies. A swab sample collected from the ulcerative penile lesions was processed for virus isolation resulting in cytopathic effects observed in primary beluga whale kidney (BWK) cells. Transmission electron microscopy revealed bullet-shaped virions budding from the cell surface of infected BWK cells consistent with a rhabdovirus. A cDNA library was prepared using RNA extracted from the infected cells supernatant and sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq sequencer. The near-complete genome of a novel rhabdovirus was recovered. Genetic analyses based on the complete L gene supported classification of the virus to be referred to as the harbour porpoise rhabdovirus (HPRV) to a new species. HPRV clustered phylo...
Source: Virus Research - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Virus Res Source Type: research