Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Use of avian bornavirus isolates to induce proventricular dilatation disease in conures.
- Journal:
- Emerging infectious diseases
- Year:
- 2010
- Authors:
- Gray, Patricia et al.
- Affiliation:
- Texas A&M University · United States
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
Researchers studied a virus called avian bornavirus (ABV), which is linked to a serious brain disease in birds known as proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). They took samples from the brains of eight birds that had PDD and used one of these samples to infect two healthy Patagonian conures. Within about 66 days, both conures developed PDD, which was confirmed through detailed examinations after they were euthanized. In contrast, a control bird that received healthy cells instead of the virus remained healthy and showed no signs of the disease. This study shows that ABV can cause PDD in conures.
Abstract
Avian bornavirus (ABV) is a newly discovered member of the family Bornaviridae that has been associated with the development of a lethal neurologic syndrome in birds, termed proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). We successfully isolated and characterized ABV from the brains of 8 birds with confirmed PDD. One isolate was passed 6 times in duck embryo fibroblasts, and the infected cells were then injected intramuscularly into 2 healthy Patagonian conures (Cyanoliseus patagonis). Clinical PDD developed in both birds by 66 days postinfection. PDD was confirmed by necropsy and histopathologic examination. Reverse transcription-PCR showed that the inoculated ABV was in the brains of the 2 infected birds. A control bird that received uninfected tissue culture cells remained healthy until it was euthanized at 77 days. Necropsy and histopathologic examinations showed no abnormalities; PCR did not indicate ABV in its brain tissues.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20202423/