Alphaherpesvirus: Isolation, Identification, Partial Characterisation, Associated Pathologic Findings and Epidemiology in Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Alaska and Arctic Canada

Abstract

Live, dead stranded, and harvested belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in Alaska and the western Canadian Arctic were screened for viruses utilizing a primary beluga cell line. Samples consisted of swabs from blowhole, anus, and genital tract. Virus cytopathic effect was seen after the incubation of 6-30 days post infection, and virus-like particles consistent with herpesvirus were observed upon electron microscopy. DNA extraction, cetacean-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, and sequencing of the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase gene fragments of approximately 700 nucleotides revealed the presence of a new species of alphaherpesvirus. Culture positive isolates were recovered from all swab types, from 2001 to 2016. PCR testing of swab and skin lesions from Bristol Bay, Alaska belugas revealed that the herpesvirus was present in the blowholes of a high proportion of the animals. Results suggest that belugas from Canadian and Alaskan locations are infected with alphaherpesvirus. Eight culture-positive belugas were identified from Alaska, all but one were adults and all had evidence of skin disease. No Canadian belugas showed signs of skin disease. Virus was isolated from three separate populations indicating it is likely enzootic in belugas. This is the first report of an alphaherpesvirus isolated and propagated from a monodontid species.

Pathological and epidemiological investigation of skin lesions in belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary, Quebec, Canada

“…Our observations support the previous case reports of erosive‐to‐ulcerative skin lesions caused by a herpesvirus infection in belugas (Burek‐Huntington et al, 2015; Nielsen et al, 2018). Not all ulcers, however, are caused by an herpesviral infection; out of eight macroscopically ulcerated skin lesions, seven were negative for herpesvirus.…”

“…Not all ulcers, however, are caused by an herpesviral infection; out of eight macroscopically ulcerated skin lesions, seven were negative for herpesvirus. Surprisingly, the amplicons from the genome of the herpesvirus detected in this study had 100% homology to the equid gamma-herpesvirus 2, whereas an alpha-herpesvirus has been previously detected in cutaneous and mucosal lesions (Bellehumeur et al, 2015;Nielsen et al, 2018) and isolated from a blowhole swab (Davison et al, 2017) et al, 2009). Antibodies against a gamma-herpesvirus have been detected in belugas from the Sakhalin-Amur beluga stock (Alekseev et al, 2017).…”

“…Cutaneous infection by a herpesvirus, Mycobacterium marinum , Fusarium solani , and Dermatophilus ‐like organisms, as well as a case of neoplasia (a tumorous condition or abnormal and excessive growth of tissue) have been reported in free‐ranging or aquarium‐housed beluga whales (Barr et al, 1989; Bowenkamp et al, 2001; Martineau et al, 2002; Mikaelian et al, 2001; Naples et al, 2012). Several reports of erosive to ulcerative skin lesions caused by herpesvirus infection in belugas are of particular interest (Burek‐Huntington et al, 2015; Martineau et al, 1988; Nielsen et al 2018). Other skin anomalies have been described on free‐ranging belugas without further understanding of their cause (Krasnova et al, 2015; St. Aubin, 2001).…”

Beluga whale stewardship and collaborative research practices among Indigenous peoples in the Arctic

“…Beluga research and monitoring has evolved over the past 40 years, responding to community questions, management needs and scientific investigations that have brought together a community of knowledge-holders working collaboratively to best study beluga. Beluga harvest monitoring has revealed a declining trend in size-at-age of male beluga in the Mackenzie Estuary from 1993 to 2007 (Harwood et al 2015); dietary shifts and impacts on dive physiology (Choy et al 2017;Choy et al 2019;Choy et al 2020); trends in contaminants (Loseto et al 2015;Noel et al 2018); microplastics in beluga (Moore et al 2020); and diseases (Nielsen et al 2018;Sharma et al 2018). Community members are part of the planning and field crews, sometimes participate in laboratory analyses (typically youth) and often are part of the dissemination of results at meetings and conferences.…”

“That’s how we know they’re healthy”: the inclusion of traditional ecological knowledge in beluga health monitoring in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region

“…Loseto et al 2015) and pathogens (e.g. Nielsen et al 2018Nielsen et al , 2001a that may have implications for human health. The Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) of the Northwest Territories is responsible for issuing consumption advice when elevated levels of contaminants are found in traditional foods that could present a public health risk to consumers.…”