A high prevalence of beak and feather disease virus in non-psittacine Australian birds

Abstract

Purpose. Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) is a circovirus and the cause of psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD). This disease is characterized by feather and beak deformities and is a recognized threat to endangered Psittaciformes (parrots and cockatoos). The role that non-psittacine birds may play as reservoirs of infection is unclear. This study aimed to begin addressing this gap in our knowledge of PBFD.Methodology. Liver samples were collected from birds presented to the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Zoos Victoria's Healesville Sanctuary for veterinary care between December 2014 and December 2015, and tested for BFDV DNA using polymerase chain reaction coupled with sequencing and phylogenetic analyses.Results/Key findings. Overall BFDV was detected in 38.1 % of 210 birds. BFDV was detected at high prevalence (56.2 %) in psittacine birds, in the majority of cases without any observed clinical signs of PBFD. We also found that BFDV was more common in non-psittacine species than previously recognized, with BFDV detected at 20.0 % prevalence in the non-psittacine birds tested, including species with no clear ecological association with psittacines, and without showing any detectable clinical signs of BFDV infection.Conclusion. Further research to determine the infectivity and transmissibility of BFDV in non-psittacine species is indicated. Until such work is undertaken the findings from this study suggest that every bird should be considered a potential carrier of BFDV, regardless of species and clinical presentation. Veterinary clinics and wildlife rehabilitation facilities caring for birds that are susceptible to PBFD should reconsider biosecurity protocols aimed at controlling BFDV.

Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots

“…; Amery‐Gale et al. ). Screening for BFDV through standard and real‐time PCR is quick and easy, and the evidence base for decisions will be improved with additional information on the extent of viral distribution and transmission pathways.…”

Avian viral surveillance in Victoria, Australia, and detection of two novel avian herpesviruses

“…A piece of liver was also aseptically collected and stored at either -20°C or -80°C. The collection of these liver samples, and their subsequent testing for BFDV, has been previously reported in a separate study [ 21 ]. Instruments used for post-mortem sample collection were cleaned and autoclaved between each necropsy.…”

“…PCR products were purified from PCR reaction mixtures and sequenced as described previously [ 21 ]. Geneious ® 9.1.8 bioinformatics software (Biomatters Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand) [ 58 ] was used to trim and align all obtained sequences.…”

“…Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), a circovirus, is of particular concern [ 20 ]. Our past work has shown that BFDV is prevalent in both psittacine and non-psittacine birds presenting to the AWHC, and has revealed that non-psittacine birds may represent a previously unrecognized risk for spreading BFDV infection [ 21 ]. Other viruses are also a potential threat to Psittaciformes in Australia.…”

Identification and characterization of novel genotypes of psittacine beak and feather disease virus from budgerigar in China

“…The BFDV was first described in Australia in the 1970s; then, the virus was spread through the worldwide trade of birds (Raidal et al, ). Up to now, BDFV has been found in psittacine birds worldwide including Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and Australasia (Amery‐Gale et al, ; Bassami, Ypelaar, Berryman, Wilcox, & Raidal, ; Bert, Tomassone, Peccati, Navarrete, & Sola, ; Heath et al, ; Katoh, Ohya, Ise, & Fukushi, ; Kondiah, Albertyn, & Bragg, ; Massaro et al, ; Varsani, Regnard, Bragg, Hitzeroth, & Rybicki, ). There is no commercial vaccine available for BFDV, which poses a significant threat to endangered parrots.…”