Ranavirus Detection/Report Article Summary Zachary Clausen

11/14/17
The article that was read was about the detection and reporting of the ranavirus in

amphibians and an evaluation of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the

published literature. They collected data by using various bibliographic databases for articles

about the ranavirus or iridovirus, surveys/questionnaires with questions related to the

ranavirus, and phylogenetics with DNA sequencing. Using these they found out about how the

information spread and to whom they spread. Using these they can determine how quickly it

receives the attention it deserves as well as why the reporting of diseases and viruses in a quick

manner is important.

The published articles that were collected from the databases were ones that had

reviews related to sampling studies that took place in 2009 and published before January 2015.

Articles that were excluded from the articles taken were ones that had the amphibians

experimentally infected and not naturally. They also made sure to check there article lists with

the available resources of the Global Ranavirus Consortium. It detailed the ranavirus infection

instances by geographical region however.

There were two surveys created and approved by the Royal School of Veterinary Studies

Human Ethical Review Committee at the University of Edinburgh. They included questions

related to ranavirus and how it was monitored and tested for. The survey was directed towards

laboratories and institutions that did diagnostic testing for the ranavirus in amphibians. The

data from the surveys was taken and was categorized by the geographical region while the

responders to them remained anonymous to encourage more responses.

DNA sequencing was used in hope of showing important information relating to the

viruses genotype. The information gained from the sequencing was used to create a
 Ranavirus Detection/Report Article Summary Zachary Clausen
11/14/17
phylogenetic tree. Statistics was also used to measure not only the positive results of the

ranavirus from certain locations, but the negative results as well to avoid a biased result.

The results overall of the surveillance of the ranavirus came from all countries except for

Australia, but the data was also skewed due to less reports from one region compared to the

amounts of another region. Such as more reports came from the northern hemisphere such as

America and Europe and less from areas in the southern hemisphere. 79% of the published

papers came from the northern hemisphere. Scientific researchers also made up of 88% of the

people who responded to the surveys.

The reports also came in with 12% of the published papers showing none of the samples

testing positive for the ranavirus while 33% of the laboratory survey respondents said they had

no positive test results. Comparatively a higher proportion of published papers reported the

positive test for the ranavirus compared to laboratory surveys. Also only 14% of the published

papers were sampling from 2011-2014 while the remaining 86% were from 2009-2011. This can

cause some changes in the consensus of the data due to the time lag in the publishing of the

data.

The survey data also showed a lack of awareness of the OIE existing and the function of

it. This was shown with the statistical data that revealed that only 21% of the survey

respondents answered a question about if they had submitted their findings to the OIE. 32% of

the laboratory survey/questionnaire respondents said that they reported their findings to

government entities, and national conservation bodies. The remaining responders said that

they have reported their findings to bodies other than the OIE showing that the awareness of

the ranavirus as well as the existence and function of the OIE should be more well known.
 Ranavirus Detection/Report Article Summary Zachary Clausen
11/14/17
Bibliography

Black, Yvonne, et al. DETECTION AND REPORTING OF RANAVIRUS IN AMPHIBIANS:

EVALUATION OF THE ROLES OF THE WORLD ORGANISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH AND

THE PUBLISHED LITERATURE. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, Wildlife Disease Association,

July 2017, www.jwildlifedis.org/doi/abs/10.7589/2016-08-176.