The koala retrovirus ( English Koala retrovirus ), abbreviated as KoRV , is an enveloped virus that belongs to the retrovirus family and the genus Gammaretrovirus and only infects koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus ). Like all retroviruses, it is permanently embedded in the host's genetic material . KoRV is most closely related to the Gibbon ape leukemia virus .
Infection with the koala retrovirus is becoming an increasing problem for the already weakened koala populations. The KoRV nests in the germ cells of the pouch bears and, like HIV in humans, weakens the immune system. This eases infections, especially those caused by chlamydia . The animals die or go blind as a result of the chlamydial infection or become sterile. Infection with the virus also eases conditions such as leukemia , lymphoma, and cancer in general.
The northern part of the population is almost completely infected, while in the south there are many areas without the virus.
↑ R. Tarlinton, J. Meers, P. Young: Biology and evolution of the endogenous koala retrovirus. In: Cellular and molecular life sciences: CMLS. Volume 65, Number 21, November 2008, pp. 3413-3421, ISSN 1420-9071 . doi : 10.1007 / s00018-008-8499-y . PMID 18818870 .
↑ JJ Hanger, LD Bromham, JJ McKee, TM O'Brien, WF Robinson: The nucleotide sequence of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) retrovirus: a novel type C endogenous virus related to Gibbon ape leukemia virus. In: Journal of virology. Volume 74, Number 9, May 2000, pp. 4264-4272, ISSN 0022-538X . PMID 10756041 . PMC 111943 (free full text).
↑ Tarlinton, Rachael E. (2012). Koala Retrovirus Endogenization in Action. In: Viruses: Essential Agents of Life. Springer, 283-291. doi : 10.1007 / 978-94-007-4899-6_14 .
