Partial characterization of retroviruses from boid snakes with inclusion body disease

Objective-To characterize retroviruses isolated from bold snakes with inclu sion body disease (IBD). Animals-2 boa constrictors with IBD and 1 boa exposed to an affected snake. Procedure-Snakes were euthanatized, and tissue specimens and blood samples were submitted for virus isolation. Tissue specimens were cultured with or without commercially available viper heart cells and examined by use of tra nsmission electron microscopy (TEM) for evidence of viral replication. Reve rse transcriptase activity was determined ii? sucrose gradient-purified vir us. Western blotting was performed, using polyclonal antibodies against 1 o f the isolated viruses. Specificity of the rabbit anti-virus antibody was e valuated, using an immunogold-labeling TEM technique. Results-3 viruses (RV-1. RV-2, and RV-3) were isolated. The isolates were m orphologically comparable to members of the Retroviridae family. Reverse tr anscriptase activity was high in sucrose gradient fractions that were rich in virus. Polyclonal antibody against RV-1 reacted with proteins of similar relative mobility in RV-1 and RV-2. By use of immunogold labeling, this an tibody also recognized virions of both RV-1 and RV-2. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-A retrovirus was isolated from bold snak es with IBD or exposed to IBD. Western blot analysis of viral proteins indi cated that viruses isolated from the different snakes were similar. Whether this virus represents the causative agent of IBD is yet to be determined. The isolation of retroviruses from bold snakes with IBD is an important ste p in the process of identifying the causative agent of this disease.