The purpose of this Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award Project is to characterize, determine the source of, and prevent additional deaths from a newly recognized, fatal herpesvirus in Asian and African elephants. Reviewing cases from the last 14 years, 78 percent (7 of 9) of all young elephant deaths in North America are attributed to infection by this apparently novel systemic herpesvirus. Work to date has revealed the virus attacks small caliber vascular endothelial cells, and causes multiple hemorrhages and organ failure. Ultrastructurally, the inclusion bodies seen by light microscopy are composed of viral particles measuring 80-92 nm in diameter, morphologically consistent with the Herpesviridae family. The study design is aimed at 1) further characterization and classification of the virus utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers already synthesized in Dr. Hayward s laboratory, creation of a viral genomic library to obtain additional clones to help elucidate the subfamily of the virus, possible utilization of representational differential analysis, and further cultivation attempts, 2) determination of the epidemiology of the disease, including the source of the virus and mode of transmission, 3) development of a serologic test to screen potential carriers of the virus and determine rising titers in response to active infection by this herpesvirus. I (Dr. Richman) have been focusing on this disease in elephants for the past two years, working as a postdoctoral (DVM) fellow with Dr. Richard Montali at the National Zoological Park s Department of Pathology and more recently with Dr. Gary Hayward s group at the Johns Hopkins University. My plan to become an independent research scientist includes enrollment in the graduate training program in Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences in the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, leading to a Ph D., in conjunction with intensive research in characterization of the elephant herpesvirus, under the direction of my mentor, Dr. Hayward.
| Richman, Laura K; Zong, Jian-Chao; Latimer, Erin M et al. (2014) Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses EEHV1A, EEHV1B, and EEHV2 from cases of hemorrhagic disease are highly diverged from other mammalian herpesviruses and may form a new subfamily. J Virol 88:13523-46 |
| Richman, L K; Montali, R J; Cambre, R C et al. (2000) Clinical and pathological findings of a newly recognized disease of elephants caused by endotheliotropic herpesviruses. J Wildl Dis 36:12-Jan |
| Richman, L K; Montali, R J; Garber, R L et al. (1999) Novel endotheliotropic herpesviruses fatal for Asian and African elephants. Science 283:1171-6 |
