Genomic characterization of a novel pegivirus species from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Thaís C S Rodrigues; Kuttichantran Subramaniam; Stephen D McCulloch; Juli D Goldstein; Adam M Schaefer; Patricia A Fair; John S Reif; Gregory D Bossart; Thomas B Waltzek

doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2019.01.002

Genomic characterization of a novel pegivirus species from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida

Virus Res. 2019 Apr 2:263:98-101. doi: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.01.002. Epub 2019 Jan 8.

Authors

Thaís C S Rodrigues¹, Kuttichantran Subramaniam¹, Stephen D McCulloch², Juli D Goldstein², Adam M Schaefer³, Patricia A Fair⁴, John S Reif⁵, Gregory D Bossart⁶, Thomas B Waltzek⁷

Affiliations

¹ University of Florida, 2187 Mowry Road, 32611, Gainesville, FL, USA.
² Protect Wild Dolphins Alliance, 2046 Treasure Coast Plaza, 32960, Vero Beach, FL, USA.
³ Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1, North, 34946, Fort Pierce, FL, USA.
⁴ Medical University of South Carolina, 179 Ashley Ave, 29425, Charleston, SC, USA.
⁵ Colorado State University, 102 Administration Bldg, 80523, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
⁶ Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker Street, 30313, Atlanta, GA, USA; University of Miami, PO Box 016960 (R-46), 33101, Miami, FL, USA.
⁷ University of Florida, 2187 Mowry Road, 32611, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: tbwaltzek@ufl.edu.

PMID: 30633958
DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.01.002

Abstract

We report the discovery of the first cetacean pegivirus (family Flaviviridae) using a next-generation sequencing approach. One of two infected bottlenose dolphins had elevated activities of liver enzymes, which may suggest hepatocellular injury. Further research is needed to determine the epidemiology and pathogenicity of dolphin pegivirus.

Keywords: Bottlenose dolphin; Cetacea; Flaviviridae; Next-generation sequencing; Pegivirus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / virology*
Computational Biology
Enzymes / blood
Flaviviridae / classification*
Flaviviridae / genetics
Flaviviridae / isolation & purification*
Flaviviridae Infections / veterinary*
Flaviviridae Infections / virology
Florida
High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
Liver Function Tests
Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

Enzymes