Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Avian bornavirus 5 found in Eclectus parrot with feather picking
By Horie, Masayuki et al.·Published in Microbiology and immunology·2012·Department of Viral Oncology, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Detection of Avian bornavirus 5 RNA in Eclectus roratus with feather picking disorder.
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old Eclectus parrot was observed picking at its feathers, a behavior that can indicate stress or illness. Testing revealed that the bird was infected with Avian bornavirus type 5 (ABV5), which is known to be linked to a serious neurological disease in parrots. Despite the persistent infection, the parrot showed no signs of the more severe condition associated with ABV5. While it's still uncertain if the virus is connected to the feather picking behavior, this case highlights the need for further research on other health issues in birds.
People also search for: Eclectus parrot feather picking treatment · Avian bornavirus symptoms · why is my parrot pulling out feathers
Abstract
Avian bornavirus (ABV) was discovered recently in parrots with proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a fatal neurological disease. Although ABV has been shown to be a causative agent of PDD, its virological characteristics are largely unknown. Here we report the detection of ABV genotype 5 RNA in an Eclectus roratus with feather picking disorder (FPD). Interestingly, although the bird was persistently infected with ABV5 for at least 8 months, it had no clinical signs of PDD. Although it remains unclear whether ABV5 is associated with FPD, these findings raise the importance of epidemiological studies of birds with diseases other than PDD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22309239/