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12 June 2020 NONINVASIVE SAMPLING FOR DETECTION OF ELEPHANT ENDOTHELIOTROPIC HERPESVIRUS AND GENOMIC DNA IN ASIAN (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) AND AFRICAN (LOXODONTA AFRICANA) ELEPHANTS
Alison Jeffrey, Tierra Smiley Evans, Christine Molter, Lauren L. Howard, Paul Ling, Tracey Goldstein, Kirsten Gilardi
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Abstract

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) threatens Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) population sustainability in North America. Clusters of cases have also been reported in African elephants (Loxodonta africana). Risk to range country elephant populations is unknown. Currently, EEHV detection depends upon sampling elephants trained for invasive blood and trunk wash collection. To evaluate noninvasive sample collection options, paired invasively collected (blood, trunk wash and oral swabs), and noninvasively collected (chewed plant and fecal) samples were compared over 6 wk from 9 Asian elephants and 12 African elephants. EEHV shedding was detected simultaneously in a paired trunk wash and fecal sample from one African elephant. Elephant γ herpesvirus-1 shedding was identified in six chewed plant samples collected from four Asian elephants. Noninvasively collected samples can be used to detect elephant herpesvirus shedding. Longer sampling periods are needed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of noninvasive sampling for EEHV detection.

Copyright 2020 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
Alison Jeffrey, Tierra Smiley Evans, Christine Molter, Lauren L. Howard, Paul Ling, Tracey Goldstein, and Kirsten Gilardi "NONINVASIVE SAMPLING FOR DETECTION OF ELEPHANT ENDOTHELIOTROPIC HERPESVIRUS AND GENOMIC DNA IN ASIAN (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) AND AFRICAN (LOXODONTA AFRICANA) ELEPHANTS," Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 51(2), 433-437, (12 June 2020). https://doi.org/10.1638/2019-0112
Accepted: 16 February 2020; Published: 12 June 2020
KEYWORDS
elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus
elephant γ herpesvirus-1
Elephas maximus
feces
Loxodonta africana
noninvasive
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