title: Ribavirin Inhibits Parrot Bornavirus 4 Replication in Cell Culture.
abstract: Parrot bornavirus 4 is an etiological agent of proventricular dilatation disease, a fatal neurologic and gastrointestinal disease of psittacines and other birds. We tested the ability of ribavirin, an antiviral nucleoside analog with antiviral activity against a range of RNA and DNA viruses, to inhibit parrot bornavirus 4 replication in duck embryonic fibroblast cells. Two analytical methods that evaluate different products of viral replication, indirect immunocytochemistry for viral specific nucleoprotein and qRT-PCR for viral specific phosphoprotein gene mRNA, were used. Ribavirin at concentrations between 2.5 and 25 μg/mL inhibited parrot bornavirus 4 replication, decreasing viral mRNA and viral protein load, in infected duck embryonic fibroblast cells. The addition of guanosine diminished the antiviral activity of ribavirin suggesting that one possible mechanism of action against parrot bornavirus 4 may likely be through inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibition. This study demonstrates parrot bornavirus 4 susceptibility to ribavirin in cell culture.
authors.affiliation: Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jeffrey M B
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Musser
authors.affiliation: Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America; Zoological Medicine, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: J Jill
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Heatley
authors.affiliation: Morris Animal Foundation Veterinary Student Scholar, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Anastasia V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Koinis
authors.affiliation: Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paulette F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Suchodolski
authors.affiliation: Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Escandon
authors.affiliation: Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Tizard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000821:virology; D028981:Bornaviridae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D004372:Ducks / Q000821:virology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000821:virology; D009698:Nucleoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D010311:Parrots / Q000821:virology*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D009698:Nucleoproteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin