# IVCDB: a comprehensive database of iridoviruses for epidemiology, genetic evolution, and disease management

## TL;DR

IVCDB is a new database for iridoviruses that helps track their spread, evolution, and impact on wildlife and aquaculture.

## Contribution

IVCDB introduces a comprehensive, curated database with geospatial tools and standardized annotations for iridovirus research.

## Key findings

- IVCDB includes 310 geographically distinct iridovirus isolates and 4378 viral proteins.
- The database provides phylogenetic and collinearity analysis tools for taxonomic studies.
- IVCDB integrates host range data and detection methods to support disease management.

## Abstract

Iridoviruses, a globally distributed group of double-stranded DNA viruses, exhibit remarkable environmental adaptability and host-switching capabilities, infecting over 200 species of ectothermic vertebrates and invertebrates, including reptiles, amphibians, fish, crustaceans, and insects. These characteristics have led to substantial economic losses in global aquaculture and population declines in amphibian and invertebrate species. Despite accumulating genomic data, research progress remains constrained by three critical limitations: fragmented multidimensional data resources, ambiguous taxonomic levels, and insufficient spatiotemporal visualization tools. To address these challenges, we present the Iridovirus Comprehensive Database (IVCDB; https://www.iridovirus.com/), a comprehensive database consolidating multidimensional iridovirus-related data. IVCDB provides curated comprehensive information on 310 geographically distinct virus isolates complemented by an interactive geospatial visualization system and a nonredundant protein database containing 4378 viral proteins, including 162 core genes/proteins, derived from a standardized genome annotation pipeline. This database also contains phylogenetic relationships across various viral taxonomic levels within the family Iridoviridaeanda viral genome collinearity analysis tool, facilitating taxonomic analysis and supporting novel species identification. Furthermore, IVCDB integrates an application-oriented knowledge base including host range data, experimentally validated vaccines, and field-deployable visual detection methods. IVCDB offers substantial support for disease control and host conservation while addressing systemic bottlenecks in viral cross-species transmission research.

Graphical Abstract