The current status of salamander ranaviruses in Western North America
Jim P. Collins1, J. K. Jancovich1, E. W. Davidson1, V. G. Chinchar2 and collaborators
1 Department of Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1501 USA
2 Department of Microbiology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State St, Jackson, Mississippi, USA 39211
The past three years have seen many virus-related salamander die offs in North America. In addition to the initial isolations of virus from Saskatchewan (Bollinger et al., 1997) and Southern Arizona (Jancovich et al., 1997), iridoviruses have been isolated by Doucherty from dead and dying tiger salamanders from Idaho (1999), Utah (1998) and North Dakota (1998), and by Green from tiger salamanders from Wyoming (1999) according to a recent news release from the US Geological Survey. In Arizona in 1999, iridovirus was isolated from salamander die-offs in two widely separated areas far distant from the initial site. In 2000, we have isolated iridovirus from salamanders collected in Colorado, from the North Kaibab Plateau of Arizona, north of the Grand Canyon, and from bait salamanders of unknown origin. US Geological Survey scientists have also observed diseased salamanders in North Dakota in 2000. These reports suggest widespread distribution of these viruses, and point to movement of the viruses by agents not yet understood.
At Arizona State University and at the University of Mississipi, rapid progress is being made toward complete sequencing of the viral genomes of the Arizona and Saskatchewan salamander viruses, and of major capsid protein sequences of other viruses as they are isolated. These studies should provide important information on the relationships among these viruses, and between salamander and frog iridoviruses. Sequence information may permit tracking of new viruses to common sources such as the bait trade.