Molecular detection and genome analysis of circoviruses of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) and sichel (Pelecus cultratus)

Borzák, Réka and Sellyei, Boglárka and Székely, Csaba and Doszpoly, Andor (2017) Molecular detection and genome analysis of circoviruses of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) and sichel (Pelecus cultratus). Acta Veterinaria Hungarica, 65 (2). pp. 262-277. ISSN 0236-6290

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Abstract

The prevalence and distribution of piscine circoviruses (CVs) were tested in a routine virus monitoring programme in Lake Balaton, Hungary. A high prevalence of European eel CV (EeCV) was found in the apparently healthy eel population (35.5%). The copy number of the viral DNA in different organs was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The results suggested that some eel specimens were in active viraemic status despite their asymptomatic condition. Furthermore, a novel, previously undescribed CV was also detected in eel and sichel samples. Full genome characterisation confirmed that the virus represents a novel EeCV species (EeCV-2). The genome contains an integrated eel chromosome-derived fragment, suggesting that the original host of the virus was the eel and it probably emerged subsequently in the sichel by host switching. In some samples, an additional, 1,111-nt-long circular ssDNA was also observed involving a CV-like stem-loop structure and an ORF showing homology to CV capsid protein genes, without any sign of a replication initiator protein sequence.

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