Trade and conservation implications of new beak and feather disease virus detection in native and introduced parrots

Deborah J Fogell,Cao Tien Trung,James Sells,Rowan O Martin,Jim J Groombridge,Vikash Tatayah,Nancy Bunbury,Alison M Mckeand,Becki Lawson

doi:10.1111/cobi.13214

Abstract

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), has spread rapidly around the world, raising concerns for threatened species conservation and biosecurity associated with the global pet bird trade. The virus has been reported in several wild parrot populations, but data are lacking for many taxa and geographical areas with high parrot endemism. We aimed to advance understanding of BFDV distribution in many data-deficient areas and determine phylogenetic and biogeographic associations of the virus in 5 parrot species across Africa, the Indian Ocean islands, Asia, and Europe and focused specifically on the highly traded and invasive Psittacula krameri. Blood, feather, and tissue samples were screened for BFDV through standard polymerase chain reaction. Isolates obtained from positive individuals were then analyzed in a maximum likelihood phylogeny along with all other publically available global BFDV sequences. We detected BFDV in 8 countries where it was not known to occur previously, indicating the virus is more widely distributed than currently recognized. We documented for the first time the presence of BFDV in wild populations of P. krameri within its native range in Asia and Africa. We detected BFDV among introduced P. krameri in Mauritius and the Seychelles, raising concerns for island endemic species in the region. Phylogenetic relationships between viral sequences showed likely pathways of transmission between populations in southern Asia and western Africa. A high degree of phylogenetic relatedness between viral variants from geographically distant populations suggests recent introductions, likely driven by global trade. These findings highlight the need for effective regulation of international trade in live parrots, particularly in regions with high parrot endemism or vulnerable taxa where P. krameri could act as a reservoir host.

Highlights

The global spread of pathogens poses an increasing threat to biodiversity (Daszak et al 2000) and has been linked to wildlife-population collapse and multiple species extinctions (Cunningham et al 2017)
We detected Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) in Rose-ringed Parakeet samples from Pakistan (71.4%, 95% CI 45.4–88.3), Japan (6.7%, 95% CI 1.2–29.8), Nigeria (9.1%, 95% CI 1.6–37.7), and Senegal (50%, 95% CI 23.7–76.3) and in individuals seized from trade in western Africa (20%, 95% CI 3.6–62.5)
We report the presence of BFDV in wild populations from 8 countries where the virus had not been detected previously, showing the virus is more widespread than currently recognized and may pose a risk to several threatened species

Summary

Introduction

The global spread of pathogens poses an increasing threat to biodiversity (Daszak et al 2000) and has been linked to wildlife-population collapse and multiple species extinctions (Cunningham et al 2017). Parrots are among the most frequently traded birds listed on the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) (Pain et al 2006), and the pet trade has driven cross-border movements of over 19 million parrots since 1975 (CITES 2016) This movement has exacerbated the establishment of numerous introduced populations, most notably the highly invasive Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri), which has breeding populations in over 35 countries across 5 continents (Tayleur 2010; Menchetti et al 2016). Infection of parrots in captivity has been reported in at least 33 countries, whereas the virus occurs in comparatively few wild populations outside Oceania, where BFDV is believed to have originated (Raidal et al 2015; Fogell et al 2016)

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