In 1997, cutaneous papillomatosis caused by Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris [Tm]) papillomavirus 1 (TmPV1) was detected in seven captive manatees at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Florida, USA, and, subsequently, in two wild manatees from the adjacent Homosassa River. Since then, papillomatosis has been reported in captive manatees housed in other locations, but not in wild animals. To determine TmPV1 antibody prevalence in captive and wild manatees sampled at various locations throughout Florida coastal regions, virus-like particles, composed of the L1 capsid protein of TmPV1, were generated with a baculovirus expression system and used to measure anti-TmPV1 antibodies in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serologic analysis of 156 manatees revealed a TmPV1 antibody prevalence of 26.3%, with no significant difference between captive (n=39) and wild (n=117) manatees (28.2% and 25.6%, respectively). No antibody-positive wild animal showed PV-induced cutaneous lesions, whereas papillomatosis was observed in 72.7% of antibody-positive captive manatees. Our data indicate that Florida manatees living in the wild are naturally infected by TmPV1 but rarely show TmPV1-induced papillomatosis. Hence, it appears that the wild population would not be harmed in a case of contact with captive animals without visible lesions and productive infections, which could be thus released into the wild.
Research Article|
July 01 2011
SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF TmPV1 INFECTION IN CAPTIVE AND WILD FLORIDA MANATEES (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS)
Maria Gabriella Donà;
Maria Gabriella Donà
1James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Clinical Translational Research Building, 505 South Hancock Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA
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Manuela Rehtanz;
Manuela Rehtanz
2Department of Basic Science, Infectious Diseases, New York University, 345 East 24th Street, 921 D New York, New York 10010, USA
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Nicole M. Adimey;
Nicole M. Adimey
3US Fish and Wildlife Service, 7915 Baymeadows Way, Suite 200, Jacksonville, Florida 32256, USA
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Gregory D. Bossart;
Gregory D. Bossart
4Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30313, USA
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Alfred B. Jenson;
Alfred B. Jenson
1James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Clinical Translational Research Building, 505 South Hancock Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA
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Robert K. Bonde;
Robert K. Bonde
7
5US Geological Survey, Southeast Ecological Science Center, 2201 NW 40th Terrace, Gainesville, Florida 32605, USA
7 Corresponding author (email: rbonde@usgs.gov)
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Shin-je Ghim
Shin-je Ghim
6Department of Medicine, James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, 529 South Jackson Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, USA
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J Wildl Dis (2011) 47 (3): 673–684.
Article history
Received:
September 03 2010
Accepted:
January 11 2011
Citation
Maria Gabriella Donà, Manuela Rehtanz, Nicole M. Adimey, Gregory D. Bossart, Alfred B. Jenson, Robert K. Bonde, Shin-je Ghim; SEROEPIDEMIOLOGY OF TmPV1 INFECTION IN CAPTIVE AND WILD FLORIDA MANATEES (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS). J Wildl Dis 1 July 2011; 47 (3): 673–684. doi: https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-47.3.673
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