Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia
The known host range of circoviruses is continuously expanding because of more intensive diagnostic activities and advanced sequencing tools. Recently, a new circovirus (penguin circovirus (PenCV)) was identified in the guano and cloacal samples collected from Adélie penguins (<i>Pygoscelis ad...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1449 |
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| author | Laura C. Roberts Umberto Molini Lauren M. Coetzee Siegfried Khaiseb Jean-Paul Roux Jessica Kemper David G. Roberts Katrin Ludynia Marcus Doherr Darrell Abernethy Giovanni Franzo |
| author_facet | Laura C. Roberts Umberto Molini Lauren M. Coetzee Siegfried Khaiseb Jean-Paul Roux Jessica Kemper David G. Roberts Katrin Ludynia Marcus Doherr Darrell Abernethy Giovanni Franzo |
| author_sort | Laura C. Roberts |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The known host range of circoviruses is continuously expanding because of more intensive diagnostic activities and advanced sequencing tools. Recently, a new circovirus (penguin circovirus (PenCV)) was identified in the guano and cloacal samples collected from Adélie penguins (<i>Pygoscelis adeliae</i>) and chinstrap penguins (<i>Pygoscelis antarcticus</i>) in Antarctica. Although the virus was detected in several asymptomatic subjects, a potential association with feather disease was speculated. To investigate the occurrence and implications of PenCV in other penguin species located outside of Antarctica, a broad survey was undertaken in African penguins (<i>Spheniscus demersus</i>) on two islands off the southern Namibian coast. For this purpose, specific molecular biology assays were developed and validated. None of the 151 blood samples tested positive for PenCV. Several reasons could explain the lack of PenCV positive samples. African penguins and <i>Pygoscelis</i> species are separated by approximately 6000 km, so there is almost no opportunity for transmission. Similarly, host susceptibility to PenCV might be penguin genus-specific. Overall, the present study found no evidence of PenCV in African penguin colonies in Namibia. Further dedicated studies are required to assess the relevance of PenCV among different penguin species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:25:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e1b6f208c0c49dd9ee1b5d2ba31e60b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:25:01Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e1b6f208c0c49dd9ee1b5d2ba31e60b2023-11-17T22:29:16ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-04-01139144910.3390/ani13091449Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in NamibiaLaura C. Roberts0Umberto Molini1Lauren M. Coetzee2Siegfried Khaiseb3Jean-Paul Roux4Jessica Kemper5David G. Roberts6Katrin Ludynia7Marcus Doherr8Darrell Abernethy9Giovanni Franzo10Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0110, South AfricaSchool of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Neudamm Campus, University of Namibia, Private Bag, Windhoek 13301, NamibiaCentral Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag, Windhoek 18137, NamibiaCentral Veterinary Laboratory (CVL), 24 Goethe Street, Private Bag, Windhoek 18137, NamibiaAfrican Penguin Conservation Project, Lüderitz 23016, NamibiaAfrican Penguin Conservation Project, Lüderitz 23016, NamibiaSouthern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Cape Town 7441, South AfricaSouthern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Cape Town 7441, South AfricaInstitute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Freie, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, GermanyCentre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0110, South AfricaDepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, 35020 Padova, ItalyThe known host range of circoviruses is continuously expanding because of more intensive diagnostic activities and advanced sequencing tools. Recently, a new circovirus (penguin circovirus (PenCV)) was identified in the guano and cloacal samples collected from Adélie penguins (<i>Pygoscelis adeliae</i>) and chinstrap penguins (<i>Pygoscelis antarcticus</i>) in Antarctica. Although the virus was detected in several asymptomatic subjects, a potential association with feather disease was speculated. To investigate the occurrence and implications of PenCV in other penguin species located outside of Antarctica, a broad survey was undertaken in African penguins (<i>Spheniscus demersus</i>) on two islands off the southern Namibian coast. For this purpose, specific molecular biology assays were developed and validated. None of the 151 blood samples tested positive for PenCV. Several reasons could explain the lack of PenCV positive samples. African penguins and <i>Pygoscelis</i> species are separated by approximately 6000 km, so there is almost no opportunity for transmission. Similarly, host susceptibility to PenCV might be penguin genus-specific. Overall, the present study found no evidence of PenCV in African penguin colonies in Namibia. Further dedicated studies are required to assess the relevance of PenCV among different penguin species.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1449penguin circovirus (PenCV)Namibiapenguinmolecular epidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Laura C. Roberts Umberto Molini Lauren M. Coetzee Siegfried Khaiseb Jean-Paul Roux Jessica Kemper David G. Roberts Katrin Ludynia Marcus Doherr Darrell Abernethy Giovanni Franzo Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia Animals penguin circovirus (PenCV) Namibia penguin molecular epidemiology |
| title | Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia |
| title_full | Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia |
| title_fullStr | Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia |
| title_short | Is Penguin Circovirus Circulating Only in the Antarctic Circle? Lack of Viral Detection in Namibia |
| title_sort | is penguin circovirus circulating only in the antarctic circle lack of viral detection in namibia |
| topic | penguin circovirus (PenCV) Namibia penguin molecular epidemiology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1449 |
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