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Journal of Virology, May 2001, p. 4103-4109, Vol. 75, No. 9
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.9.4103-4109.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Arbovirus of Marine Mammals: a New Alphavirus Isolated from the Elephant Seal Louse, Lepidophthirus macrorhini

May La Linn,1 Joy Gardner,1 David Warrilow,1 Grant A. Darnell,1 Clive R. McMahon,2 Ian Field,2 Alex D. Hyatt,3 Robert W. Slade,4 and Andreas Suhrbier1,*

Australian Centre for International & Tropical Health & Nutrition, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland,1 Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania,2 CSIRO Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria,3 and Australian Genome Research Facility, University of Queensland, and Australia and Graduate Research College, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales,4 Australia

Received 6 November 2000/Accepted 29 January 2001

A novel alphavirus was isolated from the louse Lepidophthirus macrorhini, collected from southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina, on Macquarie Island, Australia. The virus displayed classic alphavirus ultrastructure and appeared to be serologically different from known Australasian alphaviruses. Nearly all Macquarie Island elephant seals tested had neutralizing antibodies against the virus, but no virus-associated pathology has been identified. Antarctic Division personnel who have worked extensively with elephant seals showed no serological evidence of exposure to the virus. Sequence analysis illustrated that the southern elephant seal (SES) virus segregates with the Semliki Forest group of Australasian alphaviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of known alphaviruses suggests that alphaviruses might be grouped according to their enzootic vertebrate host class. The SES virus represents the first arbovirus of marine mammals and illustrates that alphaviruses can inhabit Antarctica and that alphaviruses can be transmitted by lice.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Post Office, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Queensland 4029, Australia. Phone: 61-7-33620415. Fax: 61-7-33620107. E-mail: andreasS{at}qimr.edu.au.

Journal of Virology, May 2001, p. 4103-4109, Vol. 75, No. 9
0022-538X/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/JVI.75.9.4103-4109.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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