A tortoise-infecting picornavirus expands the host range of the family Picornaviridae.

ABSTRACT: While picornaviruses can cause diseases in many mammals, little is known of their host range for replication in non-mammalian vertebrates. Here, a picornavirus in liver and kidney tissues from diseased Sulawesi tortoises (Indotestudo forsteni) was genetically characterized. Tortoise rafivirus A (ToRaV-A, KJ415177) represents a potential new genus in the family Picornaviridae, for which we propose the name "Rafivirus". Our finding confirms the susceptibility of reptiles to picornaviruses.

SUBMITTER: Ng TF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4395542 | biostudies-literature | 2015 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature