Intracellular epidermal inclusions were detected within histological sections of skin biopsies from two panther chameleons (Furcifer pardalis) with chronic cheilitis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the abundant presence of icosahedral intracytoplasmic and intranuclear viral particles in infected keratinocytes, with an average diameter of 120–125 nm, consistent with herpesviruses (HVs). TEM also revealed the presence of virions in intercellular spaces and keratinocyte nuclei and features suggestive of capsid assembly, nuclear egress with primary envelopment and anterograde transport leading to virion assembly and release. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeting a conserved region of herpesvirus DNA-dependent DNA polymerase were used to amplify and sequence a product from a nested HV PCR performed on skin biopsies of both chameleons. Comparative sequence analysis indicates that the virus detected in both chameleons was a novel member of the Alphaherpesvirinae, which we refer to as chamaeleonid herpesvirus 1 (chamHV 1). Based on the identical findings in both chameleons, we consider chamHV 1 to be a candidate aetiological agent of cheilitis in panther chameleons. This is the first report of skin lesions in a chameleon species associated with HV infection.

在两只黑豹变色龙 ( Furcifer pardalis )皮肤活检组织切片中检测到细胞内表皮内含物) 患有慢性唇炎。透射电子显微镜 (TEM) 证实受感染的角质形成细胞中大量存在二十面体胞质内和核内病毒颗粒，平均直径为 120-125 nm，与疱疹病毒 (HV) 一致。TEM 还揭示了细胞间隙和角质形成细胞核中存在病毒粒子，其特征提示衣壳组装、具有初级包膜的核出口和导致病毒粒子组装和释放的顺行运输。聚合酶链反应 (PCR) 引物靶向疱疹病毒 DNA 依赖性 DNA 聚合酶的保守区域，用于扩增和测序来自对两种变色龙皮肤活检进行的嵌套 HV PCR 的产物。比较序列分析表明，在两只变色龙中检测到的病毒是Alphaherpesvirinae，我们将其称为chamaeleonid herpesvirus 1 (chamHV 1)。基于两种变色龙的相同发现，我们认为 chamHV 1 是黑豹变色龙唇炎的候选病原体。这是与 HV 感染相关的变色龙物种皮肤损伤的第一份报告。