Ranaviruses in captive and wild Australian lizards

• DOI: 10.1139/facets-2020-0011
• Publication Date: 2020-09-25T10:05:07Z
• Authors: Alicia Maclaine; Wytamma T. Wirth; Donald T. McKnight; Graham W. Burgess; Ellen Ariel
• Keywords: Ranavirus; Iridovirus; Epizootic

Ranaviral infections have been associated with mass mortality events in captive and wild amphibian, fish, reptile populations globally. In Australia, two distinct types of ranaviruses isolated: epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus fish a Frog 3-like ranavirus amphibians. Experimental studies serum surveys demonstrated that several Australian native species are susceptible to infection supported the theory is naturally circulating herpetofauna. However, ranaviral not detected or lizards Australia. Oral-cloacal swabs were collected from 42 northern Queensland 83 private collections held across three states/territories. Samples tested for DNA using quantitative PCR assay. This assay 30/83 (36.1%) 33/42 (78.6%) lizard samples. first time molecular evidence has reported lizards.