1. Novel endotheliotropic herpesviruses fatal for Asian and African elephants.
- Author
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Richman LK, Montali RJ, Garber RL, Kennedy MA, Lehnhardt J, Hildebrandt T, Schmitt D, Hardy D, Alcendor DJ, and Hayward GS
- Subjects
- Africa, Amino Acid Sequence, Animals, Asia, Base Sequence, DNA, Viral genetics, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase chemistry, DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase genetics, Endodeoxyribonucleases chemistry, Endodeoxyribonucleases genetics, Endothelium, Vascular pathology, Female, Genes, Viral, Hemorrhage pathology, Hemorrhage veterinary, Hemorrhage virology, Herpesviridae classification, Herpesviridae genetics, Herpesviridae Infections pathology, Herpesviridae Infections transmission, Herpesviridae Infections virology, Inclusion Bodies, Viral ultrastructure, Male, Molecular Sequence Data, Phylogeny, Polymerase Chain Reaction, United States, Viral Proteins genetics, Animals, Zoo virology, Elephants virology, Endothelium, Vascular virology, Herpesviridae isolation & purification, Herpesviridae Infections veterinary
- Abstract
A highly fatal hemorrhagic disease has been identified in 10 young Asian and African elephants at North American zoos. In the affected animals there was ultrastructural evidence for herpesvirus-like particles in endothelial cells of the heart, liver, and tongue. Consensus primer polymerase chain reaction combined with sequencing yielded molecular evidence that confirmed the presence of two novel but related herpesviruses associated with the disease, one in Asian elephants and another in African elephants. Otherwise healthy African elephants with external herpetic lesions yielded herpesvirus sequences identical to that found in Asian elephants with endothelial disease. This finding suggests that the Asian elephant deaths were caused by cross-species infection with a herpesvirus that is naturally latent in, but normally not lethal to, African elephants. A reciprocal relationship may exist for the African elephant disease.
- Published
- 1999
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