Herpesvirus-associated papillomatosis in a green lizard.

Papillomatous skin lesions from a green lizard (Lacerta viridis) were examined histologically, using electron microscopy and DNA was isolated from the lesions for herpes-viral DNA detection. Histology confirmed the lesions to be squamous epithelial papillomas. Using electron microscopy, no virus particles were detected. The specific sequence of herpesviral DNA-directed DNA polymerase (EC 2.7.7.7) was amplified using degenerate primers in a nested format. The 235-base-pair (bp) sequence was sequenced and compared with previously published DNA-directed DNA polymerase sequences from various reptile herpesviruses. The sequence from the green lizard showed significant similarity with sequence of fibropapilloma-associated turtle herpesviruses from sea turtles.