We isolated a macropodid herpesvirus from a free-ranging eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteous) displaying clinical signs of respiratory disease and possibly neurologic disease. Sequence analysis of the herpesvirus glycoprotein G (gG) and glycoprotein B (gB) genes revealed that the virus was an alphaherpesvirus most closely related to macropodid herpesvirus 2 (MaHV-2) with 82.7% gG and 94.6% gB amino acid sequence identity. Serologic analyses showed similar cross-neutralization patterns to those of MaHV-2. The two viruses had different growth characteristics in cell culture. Most notably, this virus formed significantly larger plaques and extensive syncytia when compared with MaHV-2. No syncytia were observed for MaHV-2. Restriction endonuclease analysis of whole viral genomes demonstrated distinct restriction endonuclease cleavage patterns for all three macropodid herpesviruses. These studies suggest that a distinct macropodid alphaherpesvirus may be capable of infecting and causing disease in eastern grey kangaroos.
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1 January 2013
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL HERPESVIRUS FROM A FREE-RANGING EASTERN GREY KANGAROO (MACROPUS GIGANTEUS)
Paola Karinna Vaz,
Julian Motha,
Christina McCowan,
Nino Ficorilli,
Pam Lizette Whiteley,
Colin Reginald Wilks,
Carol Anne Hartley,
James Rudkin Gilkerson,
Glenn Francis Browning,
Joanne Maree Devlin
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Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Vol. 49 • No. 1
January 2013
Vol. 49 • No. 1
January 2013
alphaherpesvirus
eastern grey kangaroo
herpes
herpesvirus
macropod
MaHV
marsupial