Characterization and Epidemiology of Pigeon Paramyxovirus Type-1 Viruses (PPMV-1) Isolated in Macedonia

Abstract

We have characterized in this study 10 PPMV-1 isolated from domestic pigeons and one PPMV-1 isolated from a feral pigeon in the period 2007-2012, using both classical methods (HI test and ICPI test) and molecular methods (RT-qPCR, RT-PCR, and nucleotide sequencing). Using phylogenetic analysis of partial fusion gene sequences, these viruses clustered with recent European PPMV-1 isolates (EU/re) within the genotype VIb/1. All isolates possessed virulent cleavage site motifs with variable morbidity and mortality in pigeons. The intracerebral pathogenecity indices of the five isolates ranged from 0.59 to 1.53. The repetitive isolation of PPMV-1 viruses for several consecutive years led toward establishing enzootic presence of the disease in pigeons. A high nucleotide sequence homology between the Macedonian isolates and EU/re isolates was shown. Co-circulation of different isolates in the same holdings was detected. This is the first study to extensively describe the molecular epidemiology of PPMV-1 isolated in Macedonia.

Evolutionary Dynamics and Age-Dependent Pathogenesis of Sub-Genotype VI.2.1.1.2.2 PPMV-1 in Pigeons

“…However, a recent study showed that the pathogenicity and transmission of virulent NDVs had no significant differences in young and adult chickens [45]. In our study, we found that age at infection had an impact on the outcome of PPMV-1 infection in pigeons, which was generally consistent with clinical cases in which the morbidity and mortality of younger pigeons were significantly higher than those of older pigeons [13,18]. These results indicated that the age of birds might affect PPMV-1, but not other NDV infections.…”

Comparative clinico-pathological assessment of velogenic (sub-genotype VIIi) and mesogenic (sub-genotype VIm)Avian avulavirus1 in chickens and pigeons

“…AAvV 1 is a continuously evolving virus with evidence of accelerated evolution of the virulent strains (Fan et al, 2017). In this regard, the isolation of novel avulaviruses of varying pathogenicity and genotypes from a wide range of hosts (Ramey et al, 2013;Shabbir et al, 2016;Brown & Bevins, 2017;Dodovski et al, 2017;Qiu et al, 2017;El Naggar et al, 2018;Aziz-ul-Rahman et al, 2018a, 2018b, 2019c) suggests a continuous virus evolution with subsequent implications for disease spread (Solomon et al, 2012;Miller et al, 2015;Fan et al, 2017;Mayahi & Esmaelizad, 2017). Subsequent to evolution, the emergence of novel genotypes and sub-genotypes are now increasing over a period of time (Dimitrov et al, 2019a).…”