Natural Infections With Pigeon Paramyxovirus Serotype 1: Pathologic Changes in Eurasian Collared-Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) and Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) in the United States

Abstract

Pigeon paramyxovirus serotype 1 (PPMV-1) is a globally distributed, virulent member of the avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 serogroup that causes mortality in columbiformes and poultry. Following introduction into the United States in the mid-1980s, PPMV-1 rapidly spread causing numerous mortality events in Eurasian collared-doves ( Streptopelia decaocto) (ECDOs) and rock pigeons ( Columba livia) (ROPIs). The investigators reviewed pathological findings of 70 naturally infected, free-ranging columbiforms from 25 different mortality events in the United States. Immunohistochemistry targeting PPMV-1 nucleoprotein was used to determine the tissue distribution of the virus in a subset of 17 birds from 10 of the studied outbreaks. ECDOs (61 birds) and ROPIs (9 birds) were the only species in which PPMV-1-associated disease was confirmed by viral isolation and presence of histologic lesions. Acute to subacute tubulointerstitial nephritis and necrotizing pancreatitis were the most frequent histologic lesions, with immunolabeling of viral antigen in renal tubular epithelial cells and pancreatic acinar epithelium. Lymphoid depletion of bursa of Fabricius and spleen was common, but the presence of viral antigen in these organs was inconsistent among infected birds. Hepatocellular necrosis was occasionally present with immunolabeling of hypertrophic Kupffer cells, and immunopositive eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were present in hepatocytes of 1 ECDO. Immunopositive lymphocytic choroiditis was present in 1 ECDO, while lymphocytic meningoencephalitis was frequent in ROPIs in absence of immunolabeling. This study demonstrates widespread presence of PPMV-1 antigen in association with histologic lesions, confirming the lethal potential of this virus in these particular bird species.

Genetic changes in pigeon paramyxovirus type-1 induced by serial passages in chickens and microscopic lesions caused by the virus in various avian hosts

“…PPMV-1 is highly adapted to pigeons and lesions caused by the virus in tissues of its natural host are systemic and occasionally quite extensive. Some of the lesions found in our study were consistent with those described in previous reports, for example: perivascular lymphocytic cuffings and gliosis in the brain, nephritis and tubular necrosis in the kidneys, lymphocytic pancreatitis, and pulmonary congestion (6, 15 27). It was shown previously that PPMV-1 is neuro- and nephrotropic (14, 21 28) and our findings corroborate these observations.…”

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

“…Although APMV-5 infection in budgerigars caused enteritis, APMV-3 in Australian Neophema species parrots has been associated with fatal neurological disease [41]. The histological changes in rainbow lorikeets with CCS were most similar to neural lesions described for velogenic APMV-1 in poultry, free-ranging double crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) and pigeons (Columba livia domestica) [42][43][44][45].…”

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Detection of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 (pPMV-1) in Pigeons

“…There are a few references concerning the relationship between viral antigen distribution and the histopathological lesions in pPMV-1 infection of pigeons in the literature (Barton et al, 1992;Johnston and Key 1992;Shaheen et al, 2005;Isidoro-Ayza et al, 2017). This study aims to specify the presence and prevalence of pPMV-1 infection among the pigeon population in Istanbul through serology and immunohistochemistry (IHC), to present the clinical signs and to determine the microscopic lesions that develop during the disease.…”