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Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
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DAO 32:1-8 (1998)  -  doi:10.3354/dao032001

Giant toads Bufo marinus in Australia and Venezuela have antibodies against 'ranaviruses'

Z. Zupanovic1, G. Lopez2, A. D. Hyatt1,*, B. Green3, G. Bartran3, H. Parkes1, R. J. Whittington4, R. Speare5

1CSIRO, Division of Animal Health, Australian Animal Health Laboratory, PO Bag 24, Geelong 3220, Victoria, Australia
2Centro de Microbiologia y Biologia Celular, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cienticas, Apartado Postal 21827, Caracas, Venezuela
3CSIRO, Division of Wildlife and Ecology, PO Box 84, Lyneham, Canberra 2602, Australia
4Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, PMB 8, Camden 2570, New South Wales, Australia
5Departm ent of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville 4811, Queensland, Australia
*Addressee for correspondence. E-mail:

A serological survey was conducted for antibodies against 'ranaviruses' in the giant toad Bufo marinus in Australia and Venezuela. Sera containing antibodies against 'ranaviruses' were found in both countries. In Australia positive antibodies were identified in populations throughout most of the known range of B. marinus. Results were confirmed by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy where a characteristic staining pattern of 'ranaviruses' in infected cells was observed. Whilst a 'ranavirus(es)' has been isolated from populations of B. marinus in Venezuela, no virus has been isolated from Australian B. marinus populations. The significance of 'ranavirus' sero-positive B. marinus in Australia is discussed.


Giant toads · Bufo marinus · Australia · Venezuela · Ranaviruses


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Published in DAO Vol. 32, No. 1. Publication date: February 26, 1998
Print ISSN:0177-5103; Online ISSN:1616-1580
Copyright © 1998 Inter-Research.
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