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A red squirrel associated adenovirus identified by a combined microarray and deep sequencing approach
Björn Abendroth1, Dirk Höper1, Rainer G Ulrich2
1Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Archives of Virology
|July 8, 2017
Summary
A novel squirrel adenovirus was discovered in a deceased red squirrel exhibiting enteritis. This finding expands our understanding of adenovirus diversity in wildlife populations.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Wildlife Disease Ecology
- Molecular Phylogenetics
Background:
- Adenoviruses (AdVs) are known to infect various animal species, causing a range of clinical signs.
- The diversity and host specificity of adenoviruses in wildlife, particularly rodents like red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), remain incompletely understood.
- Enteritis is a significant pathological finding in wild animals, necessitating etiological investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the causative agent of acute diffuse catarrhal enteritis in a deceased adult red squirrel.
- To characterize the genetic and phylogenetic features of a newly identified squirrel-associated adenovirus.
- To determine the evolutionary relationship of the novel virus to other known mastadenoviruses.
Main Methods:
- Necropsy was performed on the deceased red squirrel to determine the cause of death.
- A comprehensive virus screening pipeline utilizing a pan-viral DNA microarray and next-generation sequencing was employed.
- Phylogenetic analysis based on hexon protein amino acid sequences and shorter hexon gene segments was conducted for viral classification.
Main Results:
- Acute diffuse catarrhal enteritis was diagnosed as the primary pathological finding.
- A novel adenovirus species with mastadenovirus-typical sequence elements was identified in the affected squirrel.
- Phylogenetic analyses revealed the highest similarity to Equine Adenovirus 2, with distinct divergence from other known squirrel and rodent adenoviruses, but close relation to European squirrel adenoviruses.
Conclusions:
- A novel adenovirus, tentatively named Squirrel Adenovirus-1, was identified as a potential cause of enteritis in red squirrels.
- This discovery highlights the presence of unique adenovirus lineages in squirrel populations.
- Further research is warranted to understand the prevalence, pathogenicity, and epizootiology of Squirrel Adenovirus-1 in wildlife.
