Figure 6

OtHV-3 copies per ng DNA detected in tissues collected postmortem in a 24-year old male California sea lion ( Zalophus californianus ) with lymphoblastic lymphoma. The esophagus, kidney, liver, lymph node, pericardial fluid, pericardium, and spleen were qPCR-positive for high copy numbers of OtHV3 (median = 29 009, range 5 205–72 164 viral copies/ng DNA). The esophagus had the highest OtHV3 viral load. A buffy coat collected from Animal A eight months prior to death was qPCR negative for OtHV3. Of 10 other sea lions that had postmortem tissue tested, five (50%) had at least one tissue with detectable OtHV3. Copy numbers among those OtHV3 positive sea lions, however, were much lower than those of the sea lion with lymphoblastic lymphoma (ranges = 0.01 to 0.22 versus 5 205 to 72 164 viral copies/ng DNA)