Sea star-associated densovirus (SSaDV) belongs to the ''

Parvoviridae Parvoviruses are a family of animal viruses that constitute the family ''Parvoviridae''. They have linear, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genomes that typically contain two genes encoding for a replication initiator protein, called NS1, and the p ...

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

. Like the other members of its family, it is a

single-stranded DNA virus A DNA virus is a virus that has a genome made of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) that is replicated by a DNA polymerase. They can be divided between those that have two strands of DNA in their genome, called double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses, and t ...

. SSaDV has been suggested to be an etiological agent of

sea star wasting disease Sea star wasting disease or starfish wasting syndrome is a disease of starfish and several other echinoderms that appears sporadically, causing mass mortality of those affected. There are approximately 40 species of sea stars that have been affe ...

, but conclusive evidence has not yet been obtained. Further work in 2018 and 2020 re-examined the association between SSaDV and sea star wasting and found no evidence in both the original work and subsequent surveys of sea stars. More recently, densoviruses associated with echinoderms were recognized as forming persistent infections in their hosts and become endogenized within sea star genomic DNA. Densoviruses including SSaDV become more pronounced during sea star wasting progression, but no single strain is associated with sea star wasting disease.

Epidemiology

SSaDV occurs in sea stars from southern

Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S ...

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

. It tends to occur during large outbreaks of starfish-afflicting diseases with high mortality rates, as it has in 1972, 1978, 2013, and 2014. See

Sea star wasting disease Sea star wasting disease or starfish wasting syndrome is a disease of starfish and several other echinoderms that appears sporadically, causing mass mortality of those affected. There are approximately 40 species of sea stars that have been affe ...

. The virus was observed in wasting ''Pycnopodia helianthoides'', and detected in small quantities in healthy sea stars and aquarium sediments. The highest viral load was found in the body wall of the central disk. A similar virus infecting sea stars on the Atlantic Coast of North America is found in only healthy specimens. As of 2021, SSaDV is no longer believed to be associated with sea star wasting disease but may rather be one of many viruses that replicate as a consequence of disease process.

Structure

The genomic characteristics of SSaDV are similar to the other members of the genus Ambidensovirus. It is predicted to be a non-enveloped icosahedral particle at ~25 nm, although the virus has never been imaged.

References

External links

ViralZone: Densovirus

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sea star-associated densovirus Densovirinae

Epidemiology

Structure

See also

References

Further reading

External links