Thirty-five free-ranging healthy spiny-tailed iguanas (31 Ctenosaura bakeri, 4 C. similis) and 14 green iguanas (Iguana iguana rhinolopha) were caught and held in captivity for 2 days. Blood was collected from all animals and their sera were evaluated for antibody titres against reptilian reoviruses, reptilian paramyxoviruses, and avian paramyxovirus-1 (PMV-1). Cloacal and pharyngeal swabs also were collected and examined for viral content by incubation on chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and terrapene heart cells (TH-1). No virus was isolated from the pharyngeal and cloacal swabs on CEF and TH-1. Twenty-three (47%) of 49 sera samples tested positive for reptilian reoviruses by virus neutralization tests. Twenty (41%) of 49 samples had antibodies against one reptilian PMV isolate by virus neutralization tests and 3 (9%) of 34 by hemagglutination inhibition tests. No antibodies were detected against the other PMV isolate of reptilian origin nor against avian PMV-1. This is the first description of serum antibodies against reptilian reoviruses and PMV in wild iguanas.
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1 January 1998
PARAMYXOVIRAL AND REOVIRAL INFECTIONS OF IGUANAS ON HONDURAN ISLANDS
Marcus Gravendyck,
Peter Ammermann,
Rachel E. Marschang,
Erhard F. Kaleta
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Vol. 34 • No. 1
January 1998
Vol. 34 • No. 1
January 1998
Antibody titre
Ctenosaura bakeri
Ctenosaura similis
green iguana
Iguana iguana rhinolopha
paramyxovirus
reovirus