A Novel Polyomavirus (Goose Hemorrhagic Polyomavirus) Is the Agent of Hemorrhagic Nephritis Enteritis of Geese

Abstract

We have identified the etiological agent of hemorrhagic nephritis enteritis of geese (HNEG), a fatal disease of European geese. HNEG has been recognized in almost all goose breeding areas, with an epizootic pattern, and up to now, the infectious agent has remained unknown. In order to identify the causative agent, infected tissues from HNEG-affected geese were inoculated to 1-day-old goslings, which then developed clinical signs typical of HNEG. Tissue homogenates from these birds were subjected to Freon extraction followed by sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The resulting main band was examined by electron microscopy and consisted of spherical, naked, papovavirus-like particles approximately 45 nm in diameter. The virus was isolated and propagated in goose kidney cell primary culture. Tissue-or culture-purified virus allowed the experimental reproduction of the disease in goslings. Random PCR amplification of viral nucleic acid produced a 1,175-bp fragment which was shown to be associated with field samples collected from geese affected by HNEG on commercial farms in France. Sequence analysis of the PCR product revealed a unique open reading frame, showing 63 to 72% amino acid similarity with the major capsid protein (VP1) of several polyomaviruses. Finally, based on phylogenetic analysis, we conclude that the causative agent of HNEG is closely related to but clearly distinct from other polyomaviruses; we thus have named this newly identified virus Goose hemorrhagic polyomavirus.

The trichodysplasia spinulosa‐associated polyomavirus: virological background and clinical implications

“…The polyomavirus family (1) is distantly related to the papillomavirus family (2), which were grouped together as Papova-viruses, a taxonomical classification not used anymore since the year 1999. Until now, more than 30 polyomavirus putative species have been described in humans (n = 10) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13), non-human primates (n = 9) ( [14][15][16][17][18][19][20], other mammals (n = 8) (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28), and birds (n = 5) (29)(30)(31)(32). Identification of the new putative polyomavirus species increased from 10 in the last century to more than 30 since the year 2000.…”

Novel human polyomaviruses—Re‐emergence of a well known virus family as possible human carcinogens

“…In 1971 the first 2 human polyomavirus types, BK and JC virus, were identified 4, 5. Subsequently a large number of additional members of this virus family were found in many other mammalian species and in birds reviewed in 6, 7 (Table I)10–25. Members of this virus family represent small non‐enveloped viruses of about 40 nm.…”

Isolation of a novel polyomavirus, related to Japanese eel endothelial cell‐infecting virus, from marbled eels, Anguilla marmorata (Quoy & Gaimard)

“…Phylogenetic analysis using the LTag amino acid sequence shows close relation of JEECV to the goose haemorrhage polyomavirus. The goose polyomavirus is the causative agent of the epizootic disease causing haemorrhagic nephritis and enteritis in geese (Guerin et al 2000). The genome of JEECV harbours 15 open reading frames (ORFs) (Mizutani et al 2011), whereas goose polyomavirus harbours 5 ORFs (Johne & M€ uller 2003).…”