A novel group of negative-sense RNA viruses associated with epizootics in managed and free-ranging freshwater turtles in Florida, USA

Few aquatic animal negative-sense RNA viruses have been characterized, and their role in disease is poorly understood. Here, we describe a virus isolated from diseased freshwater turtles from a Florida farm in 2007 and from an ongoing epizootic among free-ranging populations of Florida softshell turtles (Apalone ferox), Florida red-bellied cooters (Pseudemys nelsoni), and peninsula cooters (Pseudemys peninsularis). Affected turtles presented with similar neurological signs, oral and genital ulceration, and secondary microbial infections. Microscopic lesions were most severe in the softshell turtles and included heterophilic/histiocytic meningoencephalitis, multi-organ vasculitis, and cytologic observation of leukocytic intracytoplasmic inclusions. The virus was isolated using Terrapene heart (TH-1) cells. Ultrastructurally, viral particles were round to pleomorphic and acquired an envelope with prominent surface projections by budding from the cell membrane. Viral genomes were sequenced from cDNA libraries of two nearly identical isolates and determined to be bi-segmented, with an ambisense coding arrangement. The larger segment encodes a predicted RNA-directed RNA polymerase (RdRP) and a putative zinc-binding matrix protein. The smaller segment encodes a putative nucleoprotein and an envelope glycoprotein precursor (GPC). Thus, the genome organization of this turtle virus resembles that of arenaviruses. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the RdRP of the turtle virus is highly diverged from the RdRPs of all known negative-sense RNA viruses and forms a deep branch within the phylum Negarnaviricota, that is not affiliated with any known group of viruses, even at the class level. In contrast, the GPC protein of the turtle virus is confidently affiliated with homologs from a distinct group of fish hantaviruses. Thus, the turtle virus is expected to become the founder of a new taxon of negative-sense RNA viruses, at least with a family rank, but likely, an order or even a class. These viruses probably evolved either by reassortment or by intrasegment recombination between a virus from a distinct branch of negarnaviruses distant from all known groups and a hanta-like aquatic virus. We suggest the provisional name Tosoviridae for the putative new family, with Turtle fraservirus 1 (TFV1) as the type species within the genus Fraservirus. A conventional RT-PCR assay, targeting the TFV1 RdRP, confirmed the presence of viral RNA in multiple tissues and exudates from diseased turtles. The systemic nature of the TFV1 infection was further supported by labeling of cells within lesions using in situ hybridization targeting the RNA of the TFV1 RdRP. Author summary Freshwater turtles are an important part of aquatic ecosystems, but relatively little is known about diseases that affect them. We discovered a new virus associated with die-offs involving multiple turtle species in Florida. Affected turtles had inflammation involving the nervous system and other organs indicative of viral infection. We isolated a virus from diseased turtles and characterized its morphology using electron microscopy. We also sequenced its entire genome to explore its relatedness to other viruses and developed a PCR-based detection assay. The morphology of the virus particle and genome characteristics were reminiscent of an arenavirus. However, phylogenetic analyses of two viral proteins indicate that the turtle virus most likely evolved through genetic mixing between a distinct branch of RNA viruses distant from all known groups and an aquatic hantavirus. Thus, the turtle virus is expected to become a founding member of a new RNA virus family. We provide evidence linking this novel virus with disease in both wild and captive turtles.