Amphibian ocular malformation associated with frog virus 3

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 177; no. 3; pp. 442 - 444
• Main Authors: Burton, Elizabeth C., Miller, Debra L., Styer, Eloise L., Gray, Matthew J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2008
• Subjects: Amphibian; animal diseases; Animals; DNA Virus Infections - complications; DNA Virus Infections - pathology; DNA Virus Infections - veterinary; DNA Virus Infections - virology; electron microscopy; Eye Abnormalities - pathology; Eye Abnormalities - ultrastructure; Eye Abnormalities - veterinary; Eye Abnormalities - virology; eye diseases; Frog virus 3; FV3; granuloma; histopathology; Metamorph; molecular sequence data; nucleotide sequences; Ocular malformation; pathogen identification; polymerase chain reaction; Rana catesbeiana; Rana catesbeiana - virology; Ranavirus - isolation & purification; signs and symptoms (animals and humans); viral diseases of animals and humans; Water Microbiology; wild animals; Tennessee; FV3; Metamorph; Rana catesbeiana; Amphibian; Ocular malformation
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.05.006

During an on-going amphibian ecology study, a free-ranging American bullfrog ( Rana catesbeiana) metamorph was captured in a pitfall trap adjacent to a constructed farm pond at the Plateau Research and Education Center (PREC) on the Cumberland Plateau near Crossville, Tennessee, USA. Grossly, the right eye was approximately 50% the size of the left. Stereo and light microscopic examination revealed two granulomas within the orbit. Electron microscopic examination revealed virus particles scattered throughout one structure but mostly aggregated toward the center. Subsequent PCR and sequencing (GenBank accession Number EF175670) confirmed frog virus 3 (FV3). This represents the first report of a malformation in an anuran associated with FV3.