PARTIAL GENOME ANALYSIS OF SIBERIAN STURGEON ALLOHERPESVIRUS SUGGESTS ITS CLOSE RELATION TO AciHV-2-SHORT COMMUNICATION

Partial genome sequence of a herpes-like virus, isolated from Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri), was determined and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The virus (SbSHV) has been shown to be the causative agent of an acute disease with high mortality in farmed juvenile sturgeons in Russia. Two fragments (of 7000 and 300 base pairs in length) encompassing 3 complete and 3 partial ORFs were amplified by PCR. Sturgeon herpesvirus strains, classified into species Acipenserid herpesvirus 2 (AciHV-2), have been isolated and partially sequenced from several regions (California, Idaho, Oregon and Canada) of North America from white (A. transmontanus) and shortnose sturgeons (A. brevirostrum). The sequence of the SbSHV strain shared highest identity with that of the Canadian strain originating from shortnose sturgeon. The phylogenetic analysis also confirmed that SbSHV is closely related to AciHV-2 and could also be classified into this virus species. This is the first report on the occurrence of AciHV-2 in Europe. Previously, only another virus species, AciHV-1 has been detected in farmed white sturgeons in Italy. The size and position of ORFs in the examined gene block confirmed that this genomic region is highly conserved in members of the genus Ictalurivirus.