Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
Arch Virol. 2011 May;156(5):839-54. doi: 10.1007/s00705-011-0925-z. Epub 2011 Feb 8.
The Iberian lynx is the most endangered felid species. During winter/spring 2006/7, a feline leukemia virus (FeLV) outbreak of unexpected virulence killed about 2/3 of the infected Iberian lynxes. All FeLV-positive animals were co-infected with feline hemoplasmas. To further characterize the Iberian lynx FeLV strain and evaluate its potential virulence, the FeLV envelope gene variable region A (VRA) mutant spectrum was analyzed using the Roche 454 sequencing technology, and an in vivo transmission study of lynx blood to specified-pathogen-free cats was performed. VRA mutations indicated weak apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme and catalytic polypeptide-like cytidine deaminase (APOBEC) restriction of FeLV replication, and variants characteristic of aggressive FeLV strains, such as FeLV-C or FeLV-A/61C, were not detected. Cats exposed to FeLV/Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum-positive lynx blood did not show a particularly severe outcome of infection. The results underscore the special susceptibility of Iberian lynxes to infectious diseases.
伊比利亚猞猁是最濒危的猫科动物之一。在 2006/7 年冬/春季，一场出人意料的强毒力猫白血病病毒（FeLV）爆发导致大约 2/3 的感染伊比利亚猞猁死亡。所有 FeLV 阳性动物都同时感染了猫血巴尔通体。为了进一步表征伊比利亚猞猁 FeLV 株并评估其潜在的毒力，使用罗氏 454 测序技术分析了 FeLV 包膜基因可变区 A（VRA）的突变谱，并进行了将猞猁血液传染给无特定病原体猫的体内传播研究。VRA 突变表明 FeLV 复制受到弱载脂蛋白 B mRNA 编辑酶和催化多肽样胞嘧啶脱氨酶（APOBEC）的限制，并且未检测到具有侵袭性的 FeLV 株（如 FeLV-C 或 FeLV-A/61C）的特征性变异。暴露于 FeLV/Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum 阳性猞猁血液的猫并未表现出特别严重的感染后果。研究结果强调了伊比利亚猞猁对传染病的特殊易感性。
