Abstract
A large number of viruses have been described in many different reptiles. These viruses include arboviruses that primarily infect mammals or birds as well as viruses that are specific for reptiles. Interest in arboviruses infecting reptiles has mainly focused on the role reptiles may play in the epidemiology of these viruses, especially over winter. Interest in reptile specific viruses has concentrated on both their importance for reptile medicine as well as virus taxonomy and evolution. The impact of many viral infections on reptile health is not known. Koch’s postulates have only been fulfilled for a limited number of reptilian viruses. As diagnostic testing becomes more sensitive, multiple infections with various viruses and other infectious agents are also being detected. In most cases the interactions between these different agents are not known. This review provides an update on viruses described in reptiles, the animal species in which they have been detected, and what is known about their taxonomic positions.
Highlights
Reptile virology is a relatively young field that has undergone rapid development over the past few decades
This review aims to provide an overview over the viruses detected in reptiles to date as well as some information on the diseases associated with these viruses
The viruses in the review are presented according to taxonomic position, with DNA viruses presented first, followed by RNA viruses
Summary
Reptile virology is a relatively young field that has undergone rapid development over the past few decades. The detection and study of viruses of reptiles relies on a wide range of tools, including classical virological methods such as cell culture, as well as molecular methods, including PCR and sequencing as well as metagenomics The combination of these methods has been successfully used to increase our understanding of viruses in this group of animals, much remains to be learned, both about the viruses themselves and about their effect on the animals they infect. The taxonomic positions of the reptilian viruses relative to viruses of other vertebrates are provided if information on this is available The study of these viruses has grown beyond the point at which a full overview over every aspect of this topic could be provided in such a review, so that specific information on some aspects of reptile virology, specifics on diagnostic testing and samples as well as serological aspects of infection, are only briefly mentioned for each virus family. The viruses in the review are presented according to taxonomic position, with DNA viruses (poxviruses, iridoviruses, herpesviruses, adenoviruses, papillomaviruses, parvoviruses, circoviruses, and a “tornovirus”) presented first, followed by RNA viruses (retroviruses, reoviruses, rhabdoviruses, paramyxoviruses, bunyaviruses, picornaviruses, caliciviruses, flaviviruses, togaviruses)
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