Investigation of Enteric Viruses in the Feces of Neotropical Migratory Birds Captured on the Coast of the State of Pará, Brazil

Abstract

Migratory birds can become long-distance vectors for a wide range of microorganisms and can cause human disease, being the Brazilian coast a gateway for northern migratory birds. These animals are considered natural reservoirs of different viruses that cause important diseases, being relevant research of viral pathogens in migratory birds to epidemiology surveillance. The objective of the study was to investigate the presence of avian rotavirus (AvRV), avian reovirus (ARV) and picobirnavirus (PBV) in Neotropical migratory birds captured on the coast of Brazil. A total of 23 individual fecal samples of the migratory birds species Calidris pusilla (20 birds), Numenius phaeopus (1 bird) and Charadrius semipalmatus (2 birds) were collected. Fecal suspensions were prepared from the collected samples for subsequent extraction of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which was subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The electrophoretic profiles were not detected by PAGE, and the amplification for the studied viruses PBV, ARV and AvRV (specie D, gene VP6 and NSP4) were negative. Positivity for AvRVD, VP7 gene was of 4.35% (1/23) for the migratory bird Calidris pusilla. After sequencing and building the tree of phylogenetic relationships avian Rotavirus Group D identified in this study was phylogenetically related and grouped into one branch, together to previously reported AvRVD from Brazil in chicken flocks with 99.8% nucleotide and 100% amino acid similarities.

Rotavirus A in wild and domestic animals from areas with environmental degradation in the Brazilian Amazon

“…Regarding the circulation of RVA in canines and birds, the prevalence was 53% and 29%, respectively. Although in the Amazon region there are records of RVA, RVD, RVF and RVG that infect birds [57][58] and RVD in migratory birds [59], all were detected by RT-PCR assays differently from the present study which detected the RVA by RT-qPCR involving a variety of animal species.…”

Detection and Molecular Characterization of Rotavirus and Picobirnavirus in Wild Avians from Amazon Forest

“…Notably, the results are contrasting with the findings of Guerreiro et al [25] that reported negative results for the 23 fecal samples of migratory birds for rotavirus and PBV using the same primers of this study. Besides that, the low sensitivity of PAGE was recorded and may be justified due to the low viral load excreted from birds, corroborating the data from Masachessi et al [11], Guerreiro et al [25], Fregolente et al [26] and Barros et al [27], which displayed no electrophoretic profile in the positive samples.…”

“…However, it is suggested that the diarrheic animals that were not positive for PBV could be affected by other enteric agents (viral, fungal, bacterial, protozoan or helminthic) and likely have triggered diarrheal conditions due to stress caused by physiological disorders such as fractures, myiasis, tachycardia, tachypnea and other injuries. Thus, Barros et al [27], Guerreiro et al [25], Luz et al [59], Da Silva et al [57], Mascarenhas et al [19] and Bezerra et al [18] corroborate the present study.…”

“…In the Amazon Region, Luz et al [59] and Guerreiro et al [25] investigated rotavirus A and D in wild captive and migration birds, respectively. Accordingly, the researchers did not observe the circulation of RV and PBV after using the same primers of this study.…”

“…Accordingly, the researchers did not observe the circulation of RV and PBV after using the same primers of this study. Contrarily, Guerreiro et al [25] designed a primer targeting the VP7 gene and obtained 1/23 positivity for avian RVA.…”