A survey of virus infection in sub-antarctic penguins on Macquarie Island, Southern Ocean.
Serums from 1002 penguins of 4 species on Macquarie Island, a sub-antarctic island in the Southern Ocean, were examined for antibody to Newcastle disease virus (NDV), influenza A virus, avian paramyxovirus, alphavirus and flavivirus. No evidence of haemagglutination-inhibition antibody to influenza A virus or alphavirus was detected. Serums from 6% of royal penguins sampled gave positive reactions to NDV while the other 3 species were negative. Antibody to a flavivirus and an avian paramyxovirus, other than NDV, was detected in 3 of the 4 penguin species. Cloacal swabs from 831 penguins of 4 species were examined for the presence of viruses. Six isolated of paramyxovirus, other than NDV, were obtained from swabs taken from royal and king penguins at 2 widely separated sites on the island.
D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001717:Birds; D009521:Newcastle Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D010253:Respirovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*