First Isolation of a Herpesvirus (Family Alloherpesviridae) from Great Lakes Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)
2022
Amber E. Johnston | Megan A. Shavalier | Kim T. Scribner | Esteban Soto | Matt J. Griffin | Geoffrey C. Waldbieser | Bradley M. Richardson | Andrew D. Winters | Susan Yun | Edward A. Baker | Douglas L. Larson | Matti Kiupel | Thomas P. Loch
The lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens: LST) is the only native sturgeon species in the Great Lakes (GL), but due to multiple factors, their current populations are estimated to be <:1% of historical abundances. Little is known about infectious diseases affecting GL-LST in hatchery and wild settings. Therefore, a two-year disease surveillance study was undertaken, resulting in the detection and first in vitro isolation of a herpesvirus from grossly apparent cutaneous lesions in wild adult LST inhabiting two GL watersheds (Erie and Huron). Histological and ultrastructural examination of lesions revealed proliferative epidermitis associated with herpesvirus-like virions. A virus with identical ultrastructural characteristics was recovered from cells inoculated with lesion tissues. Partial DNA polymerase gene sequencing placed the virus within the Family Alloherpesviridae, with high similarity to a lake sturgeon herpesvirus (LSHV) from Wisconsin, USA. Genomic comparisons revealed ~84% Average Nucleotide Identity between the two isolates, leading to the proposed classification of LSHV-1 (Wisconsin) and LSHV-2 (Michigan) for the two viruses. When naï:ve juvenile LST were immersion-exposed to LSHV-2, severe disease and ~33% mortality occurred, with virus re-isolated from representative skin lesions, fulfilling Rivers&rsquo: postulates. Results collectively show LSHV-2 is associated with epithelial changes in wild adult LST, disease and mortality in juvenile LST, and is a potential threat to GL-LST conservation.
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