Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
PLoS One. 2013 Aug 13;8(8):e71734. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071734. eCollection 2013.
There is increasing concern for the well-being of cetacean populations around the UK. Tattoo skin disease (characterised by irregular, grey, black or yellowish, stippled cutaneous lesions) caused by poxvirus infection is a potential health indicatora potential health indicator for cetaceans. Limited sequence data indicates that cetacean poxviruses (CPVs) belong to an unassigned genus of the Chordopoxvirinae. To obtain further insight into the phylogenetic relationships between CPV and other Chordopoxvirinae members we partially characterized viral DNA originating from tattoo lesions collected in Delphinidae and Phocoenidae stranded along the UK coastline in 1998-2008. We also evaluated the presence of CPV in skin lesions other than tattoos to examine specificity and sensitivity of visual diagnosis. After DNA extraction, regions of the DNA polymerase and DNA topoisomerase I genes were amplified by PCR, sequenced and compared with other isolates. The presence of CPV DNA was demonstrated in tattoos from one striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), eight harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and one short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and in one 'dubious tattoo' lesion detected in one other porpoise. Seventeen of the 18 PCR positive skin lesions had been visually identified as tattoos and one as a dubious tattoo. None of the other skin lesions were PCR positive. Thus, visual identification had a 94.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The DNA polymerase PCR was most effective in detecting CPV DNA. Limited sequence phylogeny grouped the UK samples within the odontocete poxviruses (CPV group 1) and indicated that two different poxvirus lineages infect the Phocoenidae and the Delphinidae. The phylogenetic tree had three major branches: one with the UK Phocoenidae viruses, one with the Delphinidae isolates and one for the mysticete poxvirus (CPV group 2). This implies a radiation of poxviruses according to the host suborder and the families within these suborders.
人们越来越关注英国周边海域的鲸鱼种群的健康状况。由痘病毒感染引起的纹身皮肤病（其特征为皮肤不规则、灰色、黑色或黄色点状病变）是鲸鱼潜在的健康指标。有限的序列数据表明，鲸类痘病毒（CPV）属于未分配属的 Chordopoxvirinae。为了进一步了解 CPV 与其他 Chordopoxvirinae 成员之间的系统发育关系，我们部分描述了 1998 年至 2008 年期间在英国沿海搁浅的海豚科和海豹科的纹身病变中提取的病毒 DNA。我们还评估了除纹身以外的皮肤病变中 CPV 的存在，以检查视觉诊断的特异性和敏感性。提取 DNA 后，通过 PCR 扩增 DNA 聚合酶和 DNA 拓扑异构酶 I 基因的区域，进行测序并与其他分离株进行比较。在一条条纹海豚（Stenella coeruleoalba）、八条港湾鼠海豚（Phocoena phocoena）和一条短吻真海豚（Delphinus delphis）的纹身上以及在另一只海豚的一处“可疑纹身”病变中检测到 CPV DNA 的存在。18 个 PCR 阳性皮肤病变中有 17 个被视觉识别为纹身，1 个被识别为可疑纹身。其他皮肤病变均未 PCR 阳性。因此，视觉识别的敏感性为 94.4%，特异性为 100%。DNA 聚合酶 PCR 最有效地检测 CPV DNA。有限的序列系统发育将英国样本分组为齿鲸痘病毒（CPV 组 1），并表明两种不同的痘病毒谱系感染了海豹科和海豚科。系统发育树有三个主要分支：一个分支是英国海豹科病毒，一个分支是海豚科分离株，另一个分支是须鲸痘病毒（CPV 组 2）。这意味着根据宿主亚目和这些亚目中的科，痘病毒发生了辐射。
