Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population
Bellinger River virus (BRV) is a serpentovirus (nidovirus) that was likely responsible for the catastrophic mortality of the Australian freshwater turtle <i>Myuchelys georgesi</i> in February 2015. From November 2015 to November 2020, swabs were collected from turtles during repeated riv...
| मुख्य लेखकों: | , , , , , , , , |
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| स्वरूप: | लेख |
| भाषा: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-04-01
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| श्रृंखला: | Viruses |
| विषय: | |
| ऑनलाइन पहुंच: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/4/653 |
| _version_ | 1827272031044894720 |
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| author | Kate Parrish Peter Kirkland Paul Horwood Bruce Chessman Shane Ruming Gerry McGilvray Karrie Rose Jane Hall Lee Skerratt |
| author_facet | Kate Parrish Peter Kirkland Paul Horwood Bruce Chessman Shane Ruming Gerry McGilvray Karrie Rose Jane Hall Lee Skerratt |
| author_sort | Kate Parrish |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bellinger River virus (BRV) is a serpentovirus (nidovirus) that was likely responsible for the catastrophic mortality of the Australian freshwater turtle <i>Myuchelys georgesi</i> in February 2015. From November 2015 to November 2020, swabs were collected from turtles during repeated river surveys to estimate the prevalence of BRV RNA, identify risk factors associated with BRV infection, and refine sample collection. BRV RNA prevalence at first capture was significantly higher in <i>M. georgesi</i> (10.8%) than in a coexisting turtle, <i>Emydura macquarii</i> (1.0%). For <i>M. georgesi</i>, various risk factors were identified depending on the analysis method, but a positive BRV result was consistently associated with a larger body size. All turtles were asymptomatic when sampled and conjunctival swabs were inferred to be optimal for ongoing monitoring. Although the absence of disease and recent BRV detections suggests a reduced ongoing threat, the potential for the virus to persist in an endemic focus or resurge in cyclical epidemics cannot be excluded. Therefore, BRV is an ongoing potential threat to the conservation of <i>M. georgesi</i>, and strict adherence to biosecurity principles is essential to minimise the risk of reintroduction or spread of BRV or other pathogens. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-22T05:46:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df9a402dda9b4f03ae587b88d56c7d63 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-22T05:46:45Z |
| publishDate | 2024-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-df9a402dda9b4f03ae587b88d56c7d632024-04-26T13:46:48ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152024-04-0116465310.3390/v16040653Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle PopulationKate Parrish0Peter Kirkland1Paul Horwood2Bruce Chessman3Shane Ruming4Gerry McGilvray5Karrie Rose6Jane Hall7Lee Skerratt8Virology Laboratory, Elizabeth Macarthur Agriculture Institute, Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, NSW 2568, AustraliaVirology Laboratory, Elizabeth Macarthur Agriculture Institute, Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, NSW 2568, AustraliaCollege of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4810, AustraliaChessman Ecology, Pymble, NSW 2073, AustraliaBiodiversity Conservation and Science, New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, AustraliaBiodiversity Conservation and Science, New South Wales Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, AustraliaAustralian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW 2088, AustraliaAustralian Registry of Wildlife Health, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW 2088, AustraliaMelbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC 3030, AustraliaBellinger River virus (BRV) is a serpentovirus (nidovirus) that was likely responsible for the catastrophic mortality of the Australian freshwater turtle <i>Myuchelys georgesi</i> in February 2015. From November 2015 to November 2020, swabs were collected from turtles during repeated river surveys to estimate the prevalence of BRV RNA, identify risk factors associated with BRV infection, and refine sample collection. BRV RNA prevalence at first capture was significantly higher in <i>M. georgesi</i> (10.8%) than in a coexisting turtle, <i>Emydura macquarii</i> (1.0%). For <i>M. georgesi</i>, various risk factors were identified depending on the analysis method, but a positive BRV result was consistently associated with a larger body size. All turtles were asymptomatic when sampled and conjunctival swabs were inferred to be optimal for ongoing monitoring. Although the absence of disease and recent BRV detections suggests a reduced ongoing threat, the potential for the virus to persist in an endemic focus or resurge in cyclical epidemics cannot be excluded. Therefore, BRV is an ongoing potential threat to the conservation of <i>M. georgesi</i>, and strict adherence to biosecurity principles is essential to minimise the risk of reintroduction or spread of BRV or other pathogens.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/4/653turtlereptilewildserpentovirusnidovirusepidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Kate Parrish Peter Kirkland Paul Horwood Bruce Chessman Shane Ruming Gerry McGilvray Karrie Rose Jane Hall Lee Skerratt Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population Viruses turtle reptile wild serpentovirus nidovirus epidemiology |
| title | Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population |
| title_full | Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population |
| title_fullStr | Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population |
| title_full_unstemmed | Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population |
| title_short | Delving into the Aftermath of a Disease-Associated Near-Extinction Event: A Five-Year Study of a Serpentovirus (Nidovirus) in a Critically Endangered Turtle Population |
| title_sort | delving into the aftermath of a disease associated near extinction event a five year study of a serpentovirus nidovirus in a critically endangered turtle population |
| topic | turtle reptile wild serpentovirus nidovirus epidemiology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/4/653 |
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