A longitudinal study on avian polyomavirus-specific antibodies in captive Spix's macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii).
Avian polyomavirus (APV) causes a range of disease syndromes in psittacine birds, from acute fatal disease to subclinical infections, depending on age, species, and other unidentified risk factors. To determine the prevalence of APV-specific antibodies in a captive population of Spix's macaws (Cyanopsitta spixii) in Quatar, 54 birds were tested by blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A prevalence of 48.1% for APV antibodies, which indicates viral exposure, was found. Of 36 Spix's macaws that were serially tested over a period of 4 years, 50.0% were consistently positive, 36.1% were consistently negative, 5.5% had permanently declining antibody levels, and 2.8% showed variable results. By using polymerase chain reaction testing on whole blood samples, an apparent viremia was detected in 1 of 44 birds (2.3%), although contamination provides a likely explanation for this isolated positive result in a hand-reared chick. The white blood cell count was significantly higher in antibody-positive birds compared with antibody-negative birds (P < .05). Because antibody-positive and antibody-negative birds were housed together without a change in their respective antibody status, transmission of APV within the adult breeding population appeared to be a rare event.
Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, PO Box 44069, Doha, State of Qatar.
Amrita
A
Deb
Ulrike
U
Foldenauer
Raffy Jim
RJ
Borjal
W Jürgen
WJ
Streich
Caroline
C
Lüken
Reimar
R
Johne
Hermann
H
Müller
Sven
S
Hammer
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D056727:Endangered Species; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010311:Parrots; D011120:Polyomavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral