Evidence for a Novel Gammaherpesvirus as the Putative Agent of Malignant Catarrhal Fever Disease in Roan Antelopes ().

Abstract

Upon the sudden death of two captive roan antelopes () that had suffered from clinical signs reminiscent of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in a German zoo, next generation sequencing of organ samples provided evidence of the presence of a novel gammaherpesvirus species. It shares 82.40% nucleotide identity with its so far closest relative(AlHV-1) at the polymerase gene level. The main histopathological finding consisted of lympho-histiocytic vasculitis of the pituitary rete mirabile. The MCF-like clinical presentation and pathology, combined with the detection of a nucleotide sequence related to that of AlHV-1, indicates a spillover event of a novel member of the genusof the Gammaherpesvirinae, probably from a contact species within the zoo. We propose the name(AlHV-3) for this newly identified virus.