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

Abstract

Viruses in avian hosts can pose threats to avian health and some have zoonotic potential. Hospitals that provide veterinary care for avian patients may serve as a site of exposure of other birds and human staff in the facility to these viruses. They can also provide a useful location to collect samples from avian patients in order to examine the viruses present in wild birds. This study aimed to investigate viruses of biosecurity and/or zoonotic significance in Australian birds by screening samples collected from 409 birds presented to the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Zoos Victoria’s Healesville Sanctuary for veterinary care between December 2014 and December 2015. Samples were tested for avian influenza viruses, herpesviruses, paramyxoviruses and coronaviruses, using genus- or family-wide polymerase chain reaction methods coupled with sequencing and phylogenetic analyses for detection and identification of both known and novel viruses. A very low prevalence of viruses was detected. Columbid alphaherpesvirus 1 was detected from a powerful owl (Ninox strenua) with inclusion body hepatitis, and an avian paramyxovirus most similar to Avian avulavirus 5 was detected from a musk lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna). Two distinct novel avian alphaherpesviruses were detected in samples from a sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) and a tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides). Avian influenza viruses and avian coronaviruses were not detected. The clinical significance of the newly detected viruses remains undetermined. Further studies are needed to assess the host specificity, epidemiology, pathogenicity and host-pathogen relationships of these novel viruses. Further genome characterization is also indicated, and would be required before these viruses can be formally classified taxonomically. The detection of these viruses contributes to our knowledge on avian virodiversity. The low level of avian virus detection, and the absence of any viruses with zoonotic potential, suggests low risk to biosecurity and human health.

Herpesvirus Infection in a Breeding Population of Two Coexisting Strix Owls

“…Although that some studies have suggested that raptors may contract the infection and consequently disease through the oral route by ingesting CoHV 1 infected pigeons [ 7 ], the detection of the partial sequence of herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene in healthy owls raises the question whether all herpesvirus infections in this species [ 7 , 24 ] cause illness with a fatal outcome in some cases. GaHV 2, also known as Marek’s disease virus [ 11 ], CoHV 1 [ 7 , 10 , 11 ], StHV 1 [ 16 ], and the herpesviruses detected in our previous [ 11 ] and present study are currently known herpesviruses in owls. They are genetically different, and it could be possible that some of them, such as CoHV 1, are a more fatal threat to owls than others, and also that they could differ from each other in transmission and pathogenesis.…”

“…Diverse herpesviruses have frequently been found in different free-living bird species [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. In owls, herpesvirus was discovered in the 1970s [ 12 ], later known as Strigid herpesvirus (StHV 1), and it has been reported in captive and free-ranging owls in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia [ 10 ]. General, all avian herpesviruses are members of the genera Iltovirus and Mardivirus of the subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae.…”

Metatranscriptomic Analysis of Virus Diversity in Urban Wild Birds with Paretic Disease

“…Both NDV and APMV-5 have been associated with disease outbreaks in which mortality rates approach 100%, although the pathogenicity of APMV-5 varies substantially among aviary species. APMV-5 was first isolated from a fatal outbreak of caged budgerigars in Japan in 1974, followed by epizootic outbreaks in budgerigars in the United Kingdom ( 38 ) and Australia ( 39 ). Interestingly, APMV-5 does not replicate in chicken embryonated eggs, lacks a virion hemagglutinin, and is not pathogenic to chickens ( 40 ).…”

Metagenomic detection and characterisation of multiple viruses in apparently healthy Australian Neophema birds

“…Almost nothing is known about the viruses of the elegant parrot ( Neophema elegans ) and the scarlet-chested parrot ( Neophema splendida ) of the genus Neophema , a number of which were housed in La Trobe Animal Research and Teaching Facility for the ‘Parrot Genome Sequencing Project’. The handling of these birds may facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases and may serve as a source of exposure to other birds and to humans involved in their care 18 , 19 . Consequently, birds used for trade or in experiments may potentially cause the emergence of pathogens in captive birds, their dispersal into disease-free regions, and the transmission of zoonotic diseases.…”