TY - JOUR

T1 - Longitudinal analysis of pinnipeds in the northwest Atlantic provides insights on endemic circulation of phocine distemper virus

AU - Puryear, Wendy

AU - Sawatzki, Kaitlin

AU - Bogomolni, Andrea

AU - Hill, Nichola

AU - Foss, Alexa

AU - Stokholm, Iben

AU - Olsen, Morten Tange

AU - Nielsen, Ole

AU - Waltzek, Thomas

AU - Goldstein, Tracey

AU - Subramaniam, Kuttichantran

AU - Rodrigues, Thais Carneiro Santos

AU - Belaganahalli, Manjunatha

AU - Doughty, Lynda

AU - Becker, Lisa

AU - Stokes, Ashley

AU - Niemeyer, Misty

AU - Tuttle, Allison

AU - Romano, Tracy

AU - Linhares, Mainity Batista

AU - Fauquier, Deborah

AU - Runstadler, Jonathan

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Phocine distemper virus (PDV) is a morbillivirus that circulates within pinnipeds in the North Atlantic. PDV has caused two known unusual mortality events (UMEs) in western Europe (1988, 2002), and two UMEs in the northwest Atlantic (2006, 2018). Infrequent cross-species transmission and waning immunity are believed to contribute to periodic outbreaks with high mortality in western Europe. The viral ecology of PDV in the northwest Atlantic is less well defined and outbreaks have exhibited lower mortality than those in western Europe. This study sought to understand the molecular and ecological processes underlying PDV infection in eastern North America. We provide phylogenetic evidence that PDV was introduced into northwest Atlantic pinnipeds by a single lineage and is now endemic in local populations. Serological and viral screening of pinniped surveillance samples from 2006 onward suggest there is continued circulation of PDV outside of UMEs among multiple species with and without clinical signs. We report six full genome sequences and nine partial sequences derived from harbour and grey seals in the northwest Atlantic from 2011 through 2018, including a possible regional variant. Work presented here provides a framework towards greater understanding of how recovering populations and shifting species may impact disease transmission.

AB - Phocine distemper virus (PDV) is a morbillivirus that circulates within pinnipeds in the North Atlantic. PDV has caused two known unusual mortality events (UMEs) in western Europe (1988, 2002), and two UMEs in the northwest Atlantic (2006, 2018). Infrequent cross-species transmission and waning immunity are believed to contribute to periodic outbreaks with high mortality in western Europe. The viral ecology of PDV in the northwest Atlantic is less well defined and outbreaks have exhibited lower mortality than those in western Europe. This study sought to understand the molecular and ecological processes underlying PDV infection in eastern North America. We provide phylogenetic evidence that PDV was introduced into northwest Atlantic pinnipeds by a single lineage and is now endemic in local populations. Serological and viral screening of pinniped surveillance samples from 2006 onward suggest there is continued circulation of PDV outside of UMEs among multiple species with and without clinical signs. We report six full genome sequences and nine partial sequences derived from harbour and grey seals in the northwest Atlantic from 2011 through 2018, including a possible regional variant. Work presented here provides a framework towards greater understanding of how recovering populations and shifting species may impact disease transmission.

KW - morbillivirus

KW - seal

KW - unusual mortality event

KW - viral genetics

KW - virology

KW - wildlife disease

U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2021.1841

DO - 10.1098/rspb.2021.1841

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34753354

AN - SCOPUS:85119986025

VL - 288

JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

SN - 0962-8452

IS - 1962

M1 - 20211841

ER -