Avian Metapneumovirus Subtype B Experimental Infection and Tissue Distribution in Chickens, Sparrows, and Pigeons

Abstract

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is a respiratory virus that infects a range of avian hosts, including chickens and turkeys. Migratory and local wild birds are implicated in aMPV spread among farms, countries, and seasonal outbreaks of the disease. A subtype B aMPV isolate from commercial chicken flocks suffering from respiratory disease was experimentally inoculated oculonasally into 7-week old chickens, young pigeons, and sparrows. Chickens showed minimal tracheal rales, whereas pigeons and sparrows were asymptomatic. Shedding of aMPV was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on homogenates from nasal turbinates. At 5 days postinfection, 5 of 5 chickens, 2 of 5 pigeons, and 1 of 5 sparrows were positive; at 10 or 15 days, none were positive. At 2 and 5 days, aMPV antigens were localized at the ciliated boarder of respiratory epithelium in nasal cavity and trachea of chickens, as well as to the conjunctival epithelium. Pigeons had detectable viral antigens in only the trachea at 2 and 5 days; sparrow tissues did not show any positive staining. At the end of the experiment, at 21 days postinfection, 14 of 15 inoculated chickens seroconverted against aMPV, but none of the inoculated pigeons or sparrows did. The authors believe that pigeons and sparrows have the ability to transmit the virus between chicken farms, although they do not consider pigeons and sparrows as natural hosts for aMPV, given that they failed to seroconvert. In conclusion, pigeons and sparrows are partially susceptible to aMPV infection, probably acting more as mechanical vectors because infection is only temporary and short-lived.

Evaluation of Flinders Technology Associates cards for storage and molecular detection of avian metapneumoviruses

“…These indicate that subtype B virus can be detected for a longer period than subtype A (Aung et al, 2008), even though similar titres of the viruses were used. The highest detections of aMPV was recorded at 5 d. p.i and this is in agreement with previous work in broilers (Gharaibeh & Shamoun, 2012) and turkeys (Liman & Rautenschlein, 2007).…”

The Effect of Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Bridles Flocks on Identification of Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) and Ornithobacteriumrhinotracheale (ORT) in the Middle Euphrates Region in Iraq

“…The reason due to there is no matching between the etiological local strain and commercial vaccine strain, which leads to a high probability of infection of the broilers flocks with infectious respiratory diseases or diseases that suppress the immune system, then leading to their susceptibility to infection with Avian metapneumovirus or Ornithobacteriumrhinotracheale [13] .…”

Detection of avian metapneumovirus subtype A from wild birds in the State of São Paulo, Brazil

“…Waterfowl plays an important role in the maintenance and dissemination of several commercially important viruses, such as, AIV, NDV, including aMPV (Olsen et al 2006, Alexander 2007, Cha et al 2013. Wild birds seem to be highly susceptible to aMPV C (Shin et al 2000, Bennett et al 2004, Van Boheemen et al 2012 and they seem to be partially susceptible to aMPV A and B (Felippe et al 2011, Gharaibeh & Shamoun 2012.…”