Abstract
Since their discovery in 2014, reptile nidoviruses (also known as serpentoviruses) have emerged as significant pathogens worldwide. They are known for causing severe and often fatal respiratory disease in various captive snake species, especially pythons. Related viruses have been detected in other reptiles with and without respiratory disease, including captive and wild populations of lizards, and wild populations of freshwater turtles. There are many opportunities to better understand the viral diversity, species susceptibility, and clinical presentation in different species in this relatively new field of research. In captive snake collections, reptile nidoviruses can spread quickly and be associated with high morbidity and mortality, yet the potential disease risk to wild reptile populations remains largely unknown, despite reptile species declining on a global scale. Experimental studies or investigations of disease outbreaks in wild reptile populations are scarce, leaving the available literature limited mostly to exploring findings of naturally infected animals in captivity. Further studies into the pathogenesis of different reptile nidoviruses in a variety of reptile species is required to explore the complexity of disease and routes of transmission. This review focuses on the biology of these viruses, hosts and geographic distribution, clinical signs and pathology, laboratory diagnosis and management of reptile nidovirus infections to better understand nidovirus infections in reptiles.
Highlights
The order Nidovirales is a large group of diverse enveloped positive-strand RNA viruses (1)
Prominent nidoviruses belong to the family Coronaviridae and infections can result in a wide range of presentations from asymptomatic infections to significant morbidity and mortality associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERSCoV) (2, 3)
Other nidoviruses in animals associated with significant economic losses include infections with equine arteritis virus (EAV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) (6–8)
Summary
The order Nidovirales is a large group of diverse enveloped positive-strand RNA viruses (1). Novel viruses originating in wildlife reservoirs, especially bats, have caused significant mortality and morbidity in animal populations, including swine acute diarrhoea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV). This virus was implicated in the death of nearly 25,000 piglets (5). Infectious disease is rarely a single contributing factor in known plant and animal extinctions, with the exception being amphibian panzootics caused by chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) (32–34), yet understanding the risk they pose may be critical in preventing ongoing population declines This relatively new field of research offers unique opportunities to explore major gaps in knowledge. This review summarises the key findings to date from the published literature and offers recommendations for the direction of future research
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