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.
Highlights
Avian species serve as hosts for a diversity of viruses that pose both biosecurity and zoonotic risks
I. 0–0.6%), while a single avian paramyxovirus was detected from a choanal swab from a wild musk lorikeet (Glossopsitta concinna) using the pan-paramyxovirus reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR assay
Sampling birds presented to veterinary hospitals, such as the Australian Wildlife Health Centre (AWHC), is a useful approach to studying viruses in wild birds
Summary
Avian species serve as hosts for a diversity of viruses that pose both biosecurity and zoonotic risks. Collecting and testing samples from avian patients presenting to veterinary hospitals can be a convenient and useful approach to detecting and studying avian viruses This approach does not involve additional capturing or handling of birds, and allows the risks to staff and other avian patients/collections within the facility to be more accurately assessed, since the species from which the samples are collected reflects the species being handled at the participating facility. This approach has been successful in previous studies utilizing veterinary hospitals and wildlife rescue centres in several countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Belgium [15,16,17,18]
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