Novel Gammaherpesviruses in North American Domestic Cats, Bobcats, and Pumas: Identification, Prevalence, and Risk Factors

Abstract

Gammaherpesviruses (GHVs) are a diverse and rapidly expanding group of viruses associated with a variety of disease conditions in humans and animals. To identify felid GHVs, we screened domestic cat (Felis catus), bobcat (Lynx rufus), and puma (Puma concolor) blood cell DNA samples from California, Colorado, and Florida using a degenerate pan-GHV PCR. Additional pan-GHV and long-distance PCRs were used to sequence a contiguous 3.4-kb region of each putative virus species, including partial glycoprotein B and DNA polymerase genes. We identified three novel GHVs, each present predominantly in one felid species: Felis catus GHV 1 (FcaGHV1) in domestic cats, Lynx rufus GHV 1 (LruGHV1) in bobcats, and Puma concolor GHV 1 (PcoGHV1) in pumas. To estimate infection prevalence, we developed real-time quantitative PCR assays for each virus and screened additional DNA samples from all three species (n ‫؍‬ 282). FcaGHV1 was detected in 16% of domestic cats across all study sites. LruGHV1 was detected in 47% of bobcats and 13% of pumas across all study sites, suggesting relatively common interspecific transmission. PcoGHV1 was detected in 6% of pumas, all from a specific region of Southern California. The risk of infection for each host varied with geographic location. Age was a positive risk factor for bobcat LruGHV1 infection, and age and being male were risk factors for domestic cat FcaGHV1 infection. Further characterization of these viruses may have significant health implications for domestic cats and may aid studies of free-ranging felid ecology. IMPORTANCEGammaherpesviruses (GHVs) establish lifelong infection in many animal species and can cause cancer and other diseases in humans and animals. In this study, we identified the DNA sequences of three GHVs present in the blood of domestic cats (Felis catus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and pumas (Puma concolor; also known as mountain lions, cougars, and panthers). We found that these viruses were closely related to, but distinct from, other known GHVs of animals and represent the first GHVs identified to be native to these feline species. We developed techniques to rapidly and specifically detect the DNA of these viruses in feline blood and found that the domestic cat and bobcat viruses were widespread across the United States. In contrast, puma virus was found only in a specific region of Southern California. Surprisingly, the bobcat virus was also detected in some pumas, suggesting relatively common virus transmission between these species. Adult domestic cats and bobcats were at greater risk for infection than juveniles. Male domestic cats were at greater risk for infection than females. This study identifies three new viruses that are widespread in three feline species, indicates risk factors for infection that may relate to the route of infection, and demonstrates cross-species transmission between bobcats and pumas. These newly identified viruses may have important effects on feline health and ecology.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Cross-Species Transmission: Implications for Emergence of New Lentiviral Infections

“…For example, feline leukemia virus has spilled over from domestic cats and caused outbreaks with high morbidity in Florida panthers on multiple occasions (62,63). Another example is the recent discovery of a novel feline gammaherpesvirus that appears to be transmitted from bobcats to mountain lions (64). This pattern is further documented in the present study by the identification of frequent transmissions of PLV from bobcats to mountain lions and by the first recorded account of domestic cat FIV in a free-ranging Florida panther ( Fig.…”

Identification of Novel Gammaherpesviruses in Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) and Bobcats (Lynx rufus) in Panama and Colorado, USA

“…Evidence for the presence of GHVs in felid species has included detection of a GHV DNA sequence in an African lion (Panthera leo; Ehlers et al 2008) and detection of bovine herpesvirus 4 in domestic cats (Felis catus; Kruger et al 2000). Troyer et al (2014) ). Subsequently, we detected FcaGHV1 in domestic cats in Singapore and Australia, indicating a likely worldwide distribution .…”

“…Here, we investigated whether ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are infected with a GHV and whether bobcats are infected with GHVs in addition to LruGHV1. We employed a degenerate PCR strategy that has detected GHV gene sequences from felids and many other host organisms to conduct this analysis (Ehlers et al 2008;Troyer et al 2014).…”

“…To obtain a larger genomic sequence for phylogenetic analysis of LpaGHV1 and LruGHV2, we targeted the DNA polymerase gene (Dpol) with a degenerate nested PCR and then performed longdistance gB to Dpol PCR (,3.4 kb) by using virus-specific primers (Ehlers et al 2008;Troyer et al 2014). To PCR amplify Dpol, we used the Perca-DNApol primers and reaction conditions that were previously used to amplify Dpol for FcaGHV1 ).…”

Novel gammaherpesvirus infection in felids: a brief review

“…In 2014 the first gamma herpesvirus to affect felids, Felis catus gammaherpesvirus 1 (FcaGHV1) was detected both in domestic cats and their wild cousins the bobcats and pumas in the USA [7] and shortly afterwards internationally [8,9]. While FcaGHV1 has been detected in asymptomatic domestic cats [10] the study in domestic cats from Australia and Singapore [8] noted that infected cats were more likely to be described by attending veterinarians as sick rather than well.…”