Morbilliviruses in Mediterranean monk seals

Two morbilliviruses were isolated from Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus m onachus), one from a stranded animal in Greece and the other one from carca sses washed ashore during a mass die-off in Mauritania. From both viruses N and P gene fragments were sequenced and compared to those of other known m orbilliviruses. The monk seal morbilliviruses most closely resembled previo usly identified cetacean morbilliviruses, indicating that interspecies tran smission from cetaceans to pinnipeds has occurred. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.