Serological evidence for the presence of wobbly possum disease virus in Australia

PLoS One. 2020 Aug 4;15(8):e0237091. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0237091. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Wobbly possum disease virus (WPDV) is an arterivirus that was originally identified in common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in New Zealand, where it causes severe neurological disease. In this study, serum samples (n = 188) from Australian common brushtail, mountain brushtail (Trichosurus cunninghami) and common ringtail (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) possums were tested for antibodies to WPDV using ELISA. Antibodies to WPDV were detected in possums from all three species that were sampled in the states of Victoria and South Australia. Overall, 16% (30/188; 95% CI 11.0-22.0) of possums were seropositive for WPDV and 11.7% (22/188; 95% CI 7.5-17.2) were equivocal. The frequency of WPDV antibody detection was the highest in possums from the two brushtail species. This is the first reported serological evidence of infection with WPDV, or an antigenically similar virus, in Australian possums, and the first study to find antibodies in species other than common brushtail possums. Attempts to detect viral RNA in spleens by PCR were unsuccessful. Further research is needed to characterise the virus in Australian possums and to determine its impact on the ecology of Australian marsupials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Arterivirus / immunology
  • Arterivirus / pathogenicity*
  • Arterivirus Infections / blood
  • Arterivirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Arterivirus Infections / virology
  • Australia
  • Serologic Tests
  • Trichosurus / immunology
  • Trichosurus / virology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Massey University Research Fund (grant number 20774) and Zoos Victoria (research scholarship; no specific grant number). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.