Viruses of Freshwater Mussels during Mass Mortality Events in Oregon and Washington, USA.
Viruses
; 15(8)2023 08 11.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37632061
ABSTRACT
Freshwater mussels (Unionida) are globally imperiled, in part due to largely unexplained mass mortality events (MMEs). While recent studies have begun to investigate the possibility that mussel MMEs in the Eastern USA may be caused by infectious diseases, mussels in the Western USA have received relatively little attention in this regard. We conducted a two-year epidemiologic investigation of the role of viruses in ongoing MMEs of the Western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) and the Western ridged mussel (Gonidea angulata) in the Chehalis River and Columbia River watersheds in the Western USA. We characterized viromes of mussel hemolymph from 5 locations in 2018 and 2020 using metagenomic methods and identified 557 viruses based on assembled contiguous sequences, most of which are novel. We also characterized the distribution and diversity of a previously identified mussel Gammarhabdovirus related to pathogenic finfish viruses. Overall, we found few consistent associations between viruses and mussel health status. Variation in mussel viromes was most strongly driven by location, with little influence from date, species, or health status, though these variables together only explained ~1/3 of variation in virome composition. Our results demonstrate that Western freshwater mussels host remarkably diverse viromes, but no single virus or combination of viruses appears to be associated with morbidity or mortality during MMEs. Our findings have implications for the conservation of imperiled freshwater mussels, including efforts to enhance natural populations through captive propagation.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Bivalvos
/
Agua Dulce
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Patient_preference
Límite:
Animals
País/Región como asunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Viruses
Año:
2023
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos