ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF IRIDOVIRUSES FROM THE GIANT TOAD BUFO-MARINUS IN VENEZUELA

In this communication we describe for the first time the isolation of 7 iridoviruses from the toad Bufo marinus and an unknown species of fr og Leptodactylus in Venezuela, South America. The viruses are icosahed ral with electron-dense cores, each of which is surrounded by an inner membrane, capsid and a cell-derived envelope. The virus(es) have an a verage vertex to vertex diameter of 160 nm and replicate in the cytopl asm of a range of cell Lines. Within the cytoplasm of infected cells, rarified areas could be observed; structures lacked cellular organelle s and contained complete, empty and developing viruses. Results from a ntigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA,) with polycl onal antibody raised against epizootic haematopoietic necrosis virus ( EHNV) indicated crossreactivity between these isolates, Bohle iridovir us (BIV) and frog virus 3 (FV3). Comparison of polypeptide and genomic profiles indicated that the Venezuelan viruses shared many polypeptid es of equivalent molecular weight with type species FV3. There were, h owever, differences between the group of Venezuelan viruses and FV3 an d BIV. The viruses belongs to the family Iridoviridae and the genus Ra navirus.