Discovery and Partial Genomic Characterisation of a Novel Nidovirus Associated with Respiratory Disease in Wild Shingleback Lizards (Tiliqua rugosa)

O’Dea, Mark; Jackson, Bethany; Jackson, Carol; Xavier, Pally; Warren, K.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165209

Cited by 42 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Though toroviruses mainly associate with enteric diseases, recent studies have shown that they can be both entero-and pneumotropic (31,55,56). New nidoviruses were recently identified in the lungs of cattle and wild shingleback lizards with pneumonia, though their direct association with disease has so far not been examined (31,37). We found MVNV-associated lesions almost exclusively in the airways and lungs, similar to previous reports on nidovirus infections in other python species (8,9,15).…”

Section: Fig 10supporting

confidence: 89%

Nidovirus-Associated Proliferative Pneumonia in the Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis)

Dervas

Hepojoki

Laimbacher

et al. 2017

J Virol

117

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In 2014 we observed a noticeable increase in sudden deaths of green tree pythons (). Pathological examination revealed accumulation of mucoid material within airways and lung, associated with enlargement of the entire lung. We performed full necropsy and histological examination on 12 affected green tree pythons from 7 different breeders to characterise the pathogenesis of this "mucinous" pneumonia. By histology we could show a marked hyperplasia of the airway epithelium and of faveolar type II pneumocytes. Since routine microbiological tests failed to identify a causative agent, we studied lung samples of a few diseased snakes by next-generation sequencing (NGS). From the NGS data we could assemble a piece of RNA genome <85% identical to nidoviruses previously identified in ball pythons and Indian pythons. We then employed RT-PCR to demonstrate the presence of the novel nidovirus in all diseased snakes. To attempt virus isolation, we established primary cell cultures of liver and brain, which we inoculated with lung homogenates of infected individuals. Ultrastructural examination of concentrated cell culture supernatants showed the presence of nidovirus particles, and subsequent NGS analysis yielded the full genome of the novel virus, Morelia viridis nidovirus (MVNV). We then generated an antibody against MVNV nucleoprotein, which we used alongside RNA hybridisation to demonstrate viral antigen and RNA in the affected lungs. This suggests that in natural infection MVNV damages the respiratory tract epithelium which then results in epithelial hyperplasia, most likely as an exaggerated regenerative attempt in association with increased epithelial turnover. Fairly recently novel nidoviruses associated with severe respiratory disease were identified in ball pythons and Indian pythons. Herein we report isolation and identification of a further nidovirus from green tree pythons () with fatal pneumonia. We thoroughly characterize the pathological changes in the infected individuals, and show that nidovirus infection is associated with marked epithelial proliferation in the respiratory tract. We speculate that this and the associated excess mucus production can lead to the animals' death, by inhibitingthe normal gas exchange in the lung. The virus was predominantly detected in the respiratory tract, which renders transmission via the respiratory route likely. Nidoviruses cause sudden outbreaks with high mortality in breeding collections, most affected snakes die without prior clinical signs. These findings, together with those of other groups, indicate that nidoviruses are a likely cause of severe pneumonia in pythons.

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Section: Fig 10supporting

confidence: 89%

Nidovirus-Associated Proliferative Pneumonia in the Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis)

Dervas

Hepojoki

Laimbacher

et al. 2017

J Virol

117

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“…For full-length reconstruction of viral genomes, faecal nucleic acid samples were subject to sequence independent single primer amplification (SISPA) based PCR to capture RNA and DNA viral material [36]. Library preparation was performed using a Nextera XT library kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) as per the manufacturer's instructions, and sequencing was performed on a NextSeq 500 using a 2x150 mid-output flowcell (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA).…”

Section: Molecular Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Viral Diversity of Microbats within the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia

Prada

Boyd

Baker

et al. 2019

Viruses

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Bats are known reservoirs of a wide variety of viruses that rarely result in overt clinical disease in the bat host. However, anthropogenic influences on the landscape and climate can change species assemblages and interactions, as well as undermine host-resilience. The cumulative result is a disturbance of bat-pathogen dynamics, which facilitate spillover events to sympatric species, and may threaten bat communities already facing synergistic stressors through ecological change. Therefore, characterisation of viral pathogens in bat communities provides important basal information to monitor and predict the emergence of diseases relevant to conservation and public health. This study used targeted molecular techniques, serological assays and next generation sequencing to characterise adenoviruses, coronaviruses and paramyxoviruses from 11 species of insectivorous bats within the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia. Phylogenetic analysis indicated complex ecological interactions including virus-host associations, cross-species infections, and multiple viral strains circulating concurrently within selected bat populations. Additionally, we describe the entire coding sequences for five alphacoronaviruses (representing four putative new species), and one novel adenovirus. Results indicate that viral burden (both prevalence and richness) is not homogeneous among species, with Chalinolobus gouldii identified as a key epidemiological element within the studied communities.

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“…In lizards, they have been proven in animals with and without clinical signs. In turtles, the virus was found only once in diseased animals [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigations into the presence of nidoviruses in pythons

Blahak

Jenckel

Höper

et al. 2020

Virol J

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Background: Pneumonia and stomatitis represent severe and often fatal diseases in different captive snakes. Apart from bacterial infections, paramyxo-, adeno-, reo-and arenaviruses cause these diseases. In 2014, new viruses emerged as the cause of pneumonia in pythons. In a few publications, nidoviruses have been reported in association with pneumonia in ball pythons and a tiger python. The viruses were found using new sequencing methods from the organ tissue of dead animals.Methods: Severe pneumonia and stomatitis resulted in a high mortality rate in a captive breeding collection of green tree pythons. Unbiased deep sequencing lead to the detection of nidoviral sequences. A developed RT-qPCR was used to confirm the metagenome results and to determine the importance of this virus. A total of 1554 different boid snakes, including animals suffering from respiratory diseases as well as healthy controls, were screened for nidoviruses. Furthermore, in addition to two full-length sequences, partial sequences were generated from different snake species. Results: The assembled full-length snake nidovirus genomes share only an overall genome sequence identity of less than 66.9% to other published snake nidoviruses and new partial sequences vary between 99.89 and 79.4%. Highest viral loads were detected in lung samples. The snake nidovirus was not only present in diseased animals, but also in snakes showing no typical clinical signs.Conclusions: Our findings further highlight the possible importance of snake nidoviruses in respiratory diseases and proof multiple circulating strains with varying disease potential. Nidovirus detection in clinical healthy individuals might represent testing during the incubation period or reconvalescence. Our investigations show new aspects of nidovirus infections in pythons. Nidoviruses should be included in routine diagnostic workup of diseased reptiles.

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Discovery and Partial Genomic Characterisation of a Novel Nidovirus Associated with Respiratory Disease in Wild Shingleback Lizards (Tiliqua rugosa)

Cited by 42 publications

References 54 publications

Nidovirus-Associated Proliferative Pneumonia in the Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis)

Nidovirus-Associated Proliferative Pneumonia in the Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis)

Viral Diversity of Microbats within the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia

Investigations into the presence of nidoviruses in pythons

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