A groundbreaking study published in PLOS ONE has made a significant discovery in the field of marine mammal health. For the first time, researchers have detected Otariid gammaherpesvirus 1 (OtGHV1) in free-ranging South American pinnipeds. Additionally, they have identified a new herpesvirus, Otariid gammaherpesvirus 8 (OtGHV8), in South American sea lions (Otaria byronia) in the Southern Hemisphere.
With limited information available on pinniped populations in the South Pacific, the sampling of pinnipeds in Peru has provided researchers with a unique opportunity to study the epidemiology of herpesviruses in the region. OtGHV1 is well-documented in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in the Northern Hemisphere and has been linked to high rates of urogenital cancer.
Despite the overlapping geographic ranges of northern fur seals in California, the virus and cancer have not been identified despite extensive surveillance efforts. However, through swabs and quantitative PCR testing, the researchers not only detected OtGHV1 but also discovered a previously unknown herpesvirus, OtGHV8, in wild pinnipeds in the Southern Hemisphere.
Dr. Matt Allender, co-author of the study and director of conservation medicine and science at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, as well as director of the University of Illinois Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, emphasized the significance of this discovery. “This finding represents a major advancement in our understanding of herpesvirus diversity and distribution in marine mammals,” said Dr. Allender. “The identification of OtGHV8 highlights the complexity of viral ecology in pinniped populations and underscores the need for further research into the health of these animals.”
Considering the phylogenetic relationships between the different viruses and their interactions with definitive and aberrant hosts, there is a possibility that South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis) could be the original endemic host for OtGHV1, as there is no evidence of urogenital cancer in wild populations in Peru.
2024-03-07 03:41:03
Article from phys.org