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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #365512
Research Project: Diagnostic and Control Strategies for Malignant Catarrhal Fever

Location: Animal Disease Research Unit

Title: Domestic sheep and bighorn sheep carry distinct gammaherpesviruses belonging to the genus Macavirus

Author
item Cunha, Cristina
item SLATER, OWEN - University Of Calgary
item MACBETH, BRYAN - Parks Canada, Banff National Park
item DUIGNAN, PÁDRAIG - University Of Calgary
item WARREN, AMY - University Of Calgary
item Highland, Margaret
item Li, Hong

Submitted to: Virus Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2019
Publication Date: 8/21/2019
Citation: Cunha, C.W., Slater, O.M., Macbeth, B., Duignan, P.J., Warren, A., Highland, M.A., Li, H. 2019. Domestic sheep and bighorn sheep carry distinct gammaherpesviruses belonging to the genus Macavirus. Virus Research. 272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197729.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197729

Interpretive Summary: The genus Macavirus comprises two distinct lineages of herpes viruses. One of these lineages includes an expanding number of viruses that can cause a disease called malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), and are therefore, known as MCF viruses (MCFV). All MCFVs are genetically related but maintained in nature in different hosts, to whom they are adapted and usually do not cause disease. In this study, we report the recognition of new MCFV carried by bighorn sheep. The virus was first identified in a bighorn sheep from Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Genetic analysis of a defined region of this virus DNA showed 85.88% identity to the MCFV carried by domestic sheep, ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2). Further investigation of bighorn samples obtained from animals in the US and Canada showed 98.87-100% DNA identity in the same region of the first bighorn in the study. Comparison between DNA sequences indicated that the MCFV carried by bighorn sheep is closely related but distinct from OvHV-2. Epidemiological and virulence features of the newly recognized MCFV are still unknown and warrant further investigation. Considering the current nomenclature for MCFVs, we suggest a tentative designation of ovine herpesvirus-3 (OvHV-3) for this newly identified bighorn sheep MCFV.

Technical Abstract: The genus Macavirus of the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae comprises two genetically distinct lineages of lymphotropic viruses. One of these lineages includes viruses that can cause malignant catarrhal fever (MCF), which are known as MCF viruses (MCFV). All MCFVs are genetically and antigenically related but carried by different hosts. In this study, we report the recognition of new MCFV carried by bighorn sheep. The virus was first identified in a bighorn sheep from Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Analysis of a conserved region of the viral DNA polymerase gene of the virus carried by this bighorn sheep showed 85.88% nucleotide identity to the MCFV carried by domestic sheep, ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2). Further investigation of bighorn samples obtained from animals in the US and Canada showed 98.87-100% identity to the DNA polymerase sequence of the first bighorn in the study. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the MCFV carried by bighorn sheep is closely related but distinct from OvHV-2. Epidemiological and virulence features of the newly recognized MCFV are still unknown and warrant further investigation. Considering the current nomenclature for MCFVs, we suggest a tentative designation of ovine herpesvirus-3 (OvHV-3) for this newly identified bighorn sheep MCFV.