Recently, Avian bornavirus (ABV) was detected in proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) affected-birds and feather picking diseases affected-birds. However, the pathogenicity of ABV has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we surveyed ABV in pet birds in Japan. We found four ABV-infected birds among 93 pet birds using RT-PCR, and genotypes of the ABV were determined as ABV-2 and -4. Two of the birds positive for ABV-4 showed proventricular dilatation typically found in PDD, and chronic stomach disturbance, whereas two of the birds positive for ABV-2 showed unexplained behavioral problems that are tapping, autophagia, and cloaca prolapse.
ABSTRACT. Avian bornaviruses (ABVs) were recently discovered as the causative agents of proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). Although molecular epidemiological studies revealed that ABVs exist in Japan, no Japanese isolate has been reported thus far. In this study, we isolated four strains of Psittaciform 1 bornavirus from psittacine birds affected by PDD using QT6 quail cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report to isolate ABVs in Japan and to show that QT6 cells are available for ABV isolation. These isolates and QT6 cells would be powerful tools for elucidating the fundamental biology and pathogenicity of ABVs.
Chlamydia
-related bacteria of the
Chlamydiales
order have recently been described as emerging pathogens that cause pneumonia and abortion in animals and
humans. We investigated the presence of
Chlamydiales
using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by targeting the 16S rRNA gene of a broad range of
Chlamydiales
in 827 fecal samples from pet birds kept in individual homes in Japan. Of the 827 samples, 493 (59.6%) tested positive for the
Chlamydiales
16S rRNA gene in the real-time PCR assay. We determined the nucleic acid sequences of PCR products from 17
Chlamydiales
strains. A homology search and phylogenetic analysis
using these sequences confirmed that the detected
Chlamydiales
included
C. pecorum
and a broad range of
Chlamydia
-related bacteria. To the
best of our knowledge, this is the first study to detect a wide range of
Chlamydia
-related bacteria in birds.
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