Dear Colleagues, On behalf of all co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our novel articles about poxvirus in cetaceans. - Sacristan C, EsperonF, Marigo J, Ewbank AC, De Carvalho RR, Groch KR, De Castilho PV, Sanchez-Sarmiento AM, Costa-Silva S, Ferreira Machado E, Gonzales-Viera OA, Daura-Jorge FG, Santos-Neto EB, Lailson-Brito J, Azevedo ADF, Simoes-Lopes PC, Das Neves C, Catao-Dias JL. (2018). Molecular identification and microscopic characterization of poxvirus in a Guiana dolphin and a common bottlenose dolphin, Brazil. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms. 130:177-185. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03271 - Sacristan C, Catao-Dias JL, Ewbank AC, Ferreira Machado E, Neves E, Santos-Neto EB, Azevedo A, Laison-Brito JJr, De Castilho PV, Daura-Jorge FG, Simoes-Lopes PC, Carballo M, Garcia-Parraga D, Sanchez-Vizcaino JM, Esperon F. (2018). Novel and highly sensitive SYBR® green real-time PCR for Poxvirus detection in odontocetes. Journal of Virological Methods. 259:45-49 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jviromet.2018.06.002. In the first manuscript we describe the progression of poxvirus-like skin lesions in 5 free-ranging Guiana dolphins Sotalia guianensis. Additionally, 151 skin samples from 113 free-ranging cetaceans from Brazil, including 4 animals with tattoo skin lesions, were selected for poxvirus testing. Poxviral DNA polymerase gene PCR amplification was used to detect the virus in β-actin-positive samples (145/151). DNA topoisomerase I gene PCR was then used in Cetaceanpoxvirus (CePV)-positive cases (n = 2), which were further evaluated by histopathology and electron microscopy. Based on photo-identification, adult Guiana dolphins presented regressing or healed poxvirus-like lesions (2/2), while juveniles presented persistent (2/3) or healed and progressive lesions (1/3). CePV DNA was amplified in a common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus and in a Guiana dolphin. Intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies and viral particles consistent with poxvirus were identified by histology and electron microscopy, respectively. CePV-specific amino acid motifs were identified through phylogenetic analysis. Our findings corroborate previous studies that suggest the placement of poxviruses from cetaceans within the novel CePV genus. This is the first molecular identification of poxvirus in South American odontocetes. In the second article we describe a new real-time PCR assay based on SYBR® Green and a new primer set to detect a 150 bp fragment of CePV DNA-polymerase gene, also effective for conventional PCR detection. The novel real-time PCR was able to detect 5 up to 5×106 copies per reaction of a cloned positive control. Both novel PCR methods were 1000 to 100,000-fold more sensitive than those previously described in the literature. Samples of characteristic poxvirus skin lesions (‘tattoo’) from one Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), two striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and two Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) were all positive to both our novel real time- and conventional PCR methods, even though three of these animals (a Risso's dolphin, a striped dolphin, and a Guiana dolphin) were previously negative to the conventional PCRs previously available. To our knowledge, this is the first real-time PCR detection method for Cetaceanpoxvirus, a much more sensitive tool for the detection of CePV-1 infections. You can discover more in https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/dao/v130/n3/p177-185/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166093418301150?via%3Dih... The articles are available at links above or email: carlosvet.sac@gmail.com Best regards Carlos