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Diseases of Aquatic Organisms

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DAO 103:185-189 (2013)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02556

Ranavirus infection in a group of wild-caught Lake Urmia newts Neurergus crocatus imported from Iraq into Germany

Anke C. Stöhr1, Jürgen Fleck2, Frank Mutschmann3, Rachel E. Marschang1,*

1Fachgebiet für Umwelt und Tierhygiene, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
2Dr. Appia Str. 13, 63452 Hanau, Germany
3Exomed - Institut für veterinärmedizinische Betreuung niederer Wirbeltiere und Exoten, Erich-Kurz-Str. 7, 10319 Berlin, Germany
*Corresponding author.  Email:

ABSTRACT: High mortality, in association with anorexia and skin ulcerations, occurred in a group of wild-caught Lake Urmia newts Neurergus crocatus, imported from Iraq in 2011. Predominant findings in the pathological examinations consisted of systemic hemorrhages and ulcerative dermatitis. Ranavirus DNA was detected via PCR in 2 of 3 dead animals, and a part of the major capsid protein (MCP) gene was sequenced. The analyzed portion of the MCP gene was 99% identical to the corresponding portion of the frog virus 3 genome. This is the first description of a ranavirus in Lake Urmia newts and in wild-caught amphibians from Iraq, as well as the first description of ranavirus infection in a urodele from the Middle East.


KEY WORDS: Iridovirus · Frog virus 3 · Urodelan · Amphibian · Major capsid protein · MCP · Middle East


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Cite this article as: Stöhr AC, Fleck J, Mutschmann F, Marschang RE (2013) Ranavirus infection in a group of wild-caught Lake Urmia newts Neurergus crocatus imported from Iraq into Germany. Dis Aquat Org 103:185-189. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02556

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