Sunshine virus in Australian pythons.
Timothy H Hyndman1, Cathy M Shilton, Robert J T Doneley
1School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
Veterinary Microbiology
|August 14, 2012
Summary
Sunshine virus, a novel snake paramyxovirus, causes neurorespiratory illness. This study details its clinical signs, diagnostic methods, and pathology, aiding veterinarians in snake disease diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Herpetological Pathology
- Emerging Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Sunshine virus is a novel paramyxovirus identified in snakes.
- It is phylogenetically distinct from other known reptilian paramyxoviruses, including Ferlavirus.
- Clinical and diagnostic information for Sunshine virus infection is currently limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation, virus isolation, PCR detection, and pathology of Sunshine virus in snakes.
- To provide essential diagnostic information for veterinarians dealing with snakeborne illnesses.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of clinical records and samples from naturally occurring cases in captive snakes.
- Virus isolation attempts from various snake tissues (brain, lung, kidney, liver).
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing on fresh-frozen and formalin-fixed tissues, as well as oral-cloacal swabs.
Main Results:
- Clinical signs included neurorespiratory or non-specific symptoms like lethargy and inappetence.
- Sunshine virus was isolated from brain, lung, and kidney/liver samples.
- PCR successfully detected the virus in brain, kidney, lung, liver, and fixed tissues, with high sensitivity in fresh-frozen brain samples (11/11).
- Virus shedding was detected in oral-cloacal swabs over a 105-day period during an outbreak.
- Histopathology revealed hindbrain white matter spongiosis, gliosis, neuronal necrosis, and mild bronchointerstitial pneumonia.
Conclusions:
- Sunshine virus infection in snakes is characterized by neurorespiratory and non-specific clinical signs.
- PCR is a sensitive method for detecting Sunshine virus in various tissues.
- Characteristic neuropathological findings include spongiosis and gliosis in the hindbrain.
- Veterinarians should consider Sunshine virus in snake disease outbreaks, especially those with neurorespiratory involvement.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Subviral Agents
Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...
02:33Retroviruses
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
00:57Viral Recombination
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
00:36Viral Mutations
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
01:29Viruses of Archaea
Archaeal viruses play a crucial role in the ecosystems of extremophilic archaea, particularly those belonging to the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota. By shaping host evolution and facilitating gene transfer, these viruses influence microbial communities and contribute to genetic diversity in extreme environments. The archaea they infect thrive in acidic hot springs and hydrothermal vents characterized by high temperatures and low pH. Archaeal viruses exhibit remarkable structural...
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...