Abstract
Since the avian bornavirus (ABV) aetiology of the proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) was proven in 2008, ABV has been detected in many avian species. The aim of the present study was to detect ABV antibodies in parrots in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A total of 142 birds were examined, including 37 birds with symptoms typical for PDD, 54 birds without PDD symptoms, and 51 parrots without any clinical symptoms of PDD but originating from one flock with a proven history of PDD. Sera from 142 birds were tested using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of antibodies against ABV nucleoprotein p40. Of 142 serum samples, 71 were positive (50%) and 71 negative (50%). In a group of birds with clinical symptoms of PDD, 77.1% showed to be ABV positive, whereas in the group of sick birds without suspicion of PDD the percentage of positive birds was 31.6%. In the birds that had a cage mate that was positive for ABV or died with PDD, 42.9% were ABV positive. Of the parrots without PDD symptoms but originating from the flock with a recent history of PDD, 62.8% of the birds were positive for antibodies against ABV nucleoprotein p40. The results suggest that PDD is common and there is a high percentage of asymptomatic carriers of ABV in the breeding facilities of parrots in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Highlights
Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD, synonyms: proventricular dilatation syndrome, macaw wasting disease, neuropathic gastric dilatation of Psittaciformes, psittacine encephalomyelitis, myenteric ganglioneuritis, infiltrative splanchnic neuropathy) (Shivaprasad et al 2010) is a common fatal disease in Psittaciformes
The results suggest that proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) is common and there is a high percentage of asymptomatic carriers of avian bornavirus (ABV) in the breeding facilities of parrots in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
The history of birds was divided into eight cohorts: 1a) patients with suspected PDD based on clinical examination; 1b) sick birds not suspected of PDD based on clinical examination; 2a) cage mates of ABV positive birds, not clinically ill; 2b) birds from collections of birds with PDD positive birds; 3) new birds health check or companion birds at home; 4) young birds (< 1 year); 5a) dead bird with the typical pathology of PDD at necropsy; 5b) dead bird with no indication of PDD at necropsy
Summary
Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD, synonyms: proventricular dilatation syndrome, macaw wasting disease, neuropathic gastric dilatation of Psittaciformes, psittacine encephalomyelitis, myenteric ganglioneuritis, infiltrative splanchnic neuropathy) (Shivaprasad et al 2010) is a common fatal disease in Psittaciformes. Paramyxovirus was for a long time considered the most likely causative agent of PDD (Deb et al 2008) None of these possible agents of the disease have been confirmed. Avian bornavirus was found in birds affected by PDD (Honkavuori et al 2008; Kistler et al 2008) and after experimental inoculation with avian bornavirus-genotype 4 (ABV4) in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus), patients developed lesions typical of PDD. This confirmed the relationship between avian bornavirus and PDD (Gancz et al 2009). Laboratory diagnosis of ABV is based on Western blot analysis to demonstrate ABV-specific antigens in tissues (Villanueva et al 2010); indirect immunofluorescence assay (Herzog et al 2010), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) to detect antibodies against ABV nucleoproteins (P40, P27, P24, P16 and P10) in bird sera (de Kloet and Dorrestein 2009); or RT/Realtime-PCR for detection of the broad spectrum of ABV genotypic variants (at least 7 in psittacines so far) in many types of clinical samples and necropsy materials (Honkavuori et al 2008; Kistler et al 2008; Dorrestein et al 2009)
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