A Rapid Strategy for the Isolation of New Faustoviruses from Environmental Samples Using Vermamoeba vermiformis.

ABSTRACT: The isolation of giant viruses is of great interest in this new era of virology, especially since these giant viruses are related to protists. Giant viruses may be potentially pathogenic for many species of protists. They belong to the recently described order of Megavirales. The new lineage Faustovirus that has been isolated from sewage samples is distantly related to the mammalian pathogen African swine fever virus. This virus is also specific to its amoebal host, Vermamoeba vermiformis, a protist common in health care water systems. It is crucial to continue isolating new Faustovirus genotypes in order to enlarge its genotype collection and study its pan-genome. We developed new strategies for the isolation of additional strains by improving the use of antibiotic and antifungal combinat

SUBMITTER: Bou Khalil JY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4927758 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature