Reactivation of a macropodid herpesvirus from the eastern grey kangaroo ( Macropus giganteus) following corticosteroid treatment

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology 1999-08, Vol.68 (1), p.59-69
• Main Authors: Guliani, Sandeep, Smith, Gregory A, Young, Peter L, Mattick, John S, Mahony, Timothy J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alphaherpesvirinae - genetics; Alphaherpesvirinae - immunology; Alphaherpesvirinae - isolation & purification; Alphaherpesvirinae - pathogenicity; Amino Acid Sequence; Animal viral diseases; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; CANGURO; CORTICOIDES; CORTICOIDS; Corticosteroid; Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; Dexamethasone - immunology; DNA Primers - chemistry; DNA, Viral - isolation & purification; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase - chemistry; DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase - genetics; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel - veterinary; Glucocorticoids - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - immunology; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; HERPETOVIRIDAE; INFECCIONES LATENTES; INFECTION LATENTE; Infectious diseases; KANGAROOS; KANGOUROU; Latency; LATENT INFECTIONS; Leukocytes, Mononuclear - virology; Macropodid herpesvirus; Macropodid herpesvirus 1; Macropodidae; Macropus giganteus; Marsupial; Medical sciences; Molecular Sequence Data; Neutralization Tests - veterinary; Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary; Reactivation; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Trigeminal Ganglion - virology; Viral diseases; Virus Activation; Virus Latency
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1135(99)00061-9

The family Herpesviridae is a large group of viruses which contain double stranded DNA genomes. Biological characteristics, such as host signs, site of replication and site of latency have been used to describe three major subfamilies, Alphaherpesvirinae, Betaherpesvirinae and Gammaherpesvirinae within the family Herpesviridae. Macropodid herpesviruses (MaHV) have been implicated in fatal outbreaks amongst the captive marsupial populations of Australia. These outbreaks have resulted in the isolation of nine MaHV strains which have been classified into two species called macropodid herpesvirus 1 and 2 (MaHV-1 and MaHV-2). Biological characteristics have been used to place MaHV-1 and -2 within the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions indicate an unusual position for MaHV-1 and -2 within the alphaherpesviruses. Current isolates of MaHVs have all been obtained from marsupials exhibiting clinical disease. A common biological characteristic of herpesviruses is the establishment of latent infections in nervous tissue. We have determined that MaHV are able to latently infect eastern grey kangaroos through reactivating and isolating a herpesvirus by inducing immunosuppression. We have investigated the possible sites of latency for MaHV-1 using molecular techniques. Detection of herpesvirus DNA in the trigeminal ganglia taken from two naturally infected eastern grey kangaroos indicates dissemination via a respiratory route.