Abstract
During a 19-month period, 5 smooth green snakes (Opheodrys vernalis) maintained as an ex situ conservation colony presented with rapid clinical progression of locally invasive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. All 5 originated from the same wild source and were housed together or in close proximity. An infectious cause was considered likely, and nested conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of a novel alphaherpesvirus, Opheodrys herpesvirus 1, in the neoplastic tissue in 4 of the 5 snakes. Retrospective screening of previously submitted smooth green snakes by in situ hybridization did not detect virus in prior submissions from the colony. This report documents molecular characterization of an ophidian herpesvirus as well as colocalization of its viral nucleic acid with neoplastic transformation in snakes.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 630-635 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Veterinary pathology |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Opheodrys herpesvirus 1
- Opheodrys vernalis
- colubrid
- herpesvirus
- in situ hybridization
- smooth green snake
- squamous cell carcinoma
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)
Cite this
Novel Herpesvirus Associated With Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Smooth Green Snakes (Opheodrys vernalis). / Lovstad, Jessica N.; Ossiboff, Robert J.; Kinsel, Michael J.; Gamble, Kathryn C.
In: Veterinary pathology, Vol. 56, No. 4, 01.07.2019, p. 630-635.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Novel Herpesvirus Associated With Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Smooth Green Snakes (Opheodrys vernalis)
AU - Lovstad, Jessica N.
AU - Ossiboff, Robert J.
AU - Kinsel, Michael J.
AU - Gamble, Kathryn C.
PY - 2019/7/1
Y1 - 2019/7/1
N2 - During a 19-month period, 5 smooth green snakes (Opheodrys vernalis) maintained as an ex situ conservation colony presented with rapid clinical progression of locally invasive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. All 5 originated from the same wild source and were housed together or in close proximity. An infectious cause was considered likely, and nested conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of a novel alphaherpesvirus, Opheodrys herpesvirus 1, in the neoplastic tissue in 4 of the 5 snakes. Retrospective screening of previously submitted smooth green snakes by in situ hybridization did not detect virus in prior submissions from the colony. This report documents molecular characterization of an ophidian herpesvirus as well as colocalization of its viral nucleic acid with neoplastic transformation in snakes.
AB - During a 19-month period, 5 smooth green snakes (Opheodrys vernalis) maintained as an ex situ conservation colony presented with rapid clinical progression of locally invasive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. All 5 originated from the same wild source and were housed together or in close proximity. An infectious cause was considered likely, and nested conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization confirmed the presence of a novel alphaherpesvirus, Opheodrys herpesvirus 1, in the neoplastic tissue in 4 of the 5 snakes. Retrospective screening of previously submitted smooth green snakes by in situ hybridization did not detect virus in prior submissions from the colony. This report documents molecular characterization of an ophidian herpesvirus as well as colocalization of its viral nucleic acid with neoplastic transformation in snakes.
KW - Opheodrys herpesvirus 1
KW - Opheodrys vernalis
KW - colubrid
KW - herpesvirus
KW - in situ hybridization
KW - smooth green snake
KW - squamous cell carcinoma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064649996&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85064649996&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0300985819837722
DO - 10.1177/0300985819837722
M3 - Article
C2 - 30983531
AN - SCOPUS:85064649996
VL - 56
SP - 630
EP - 635
JO - Veterinary Pathology
JF - Veterinary Pathology
SN - 0300-9858
IS - 4
ER -