Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry
Pigeon paramyxovirus-1 (PPMV-1) is predominantly isolated from pigeons or doves and forms a separate group of viral strains within Avian Orthoavulavirus-1, the causative agent of Newcastle disease in poultry. Since the introduction of PPMV-1 into Europe in 1981, these strains have rapidly spread all...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1656 |
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| author | Désirée Annaheim Barbara Renate Vogler Brigitte Sigrist Andrea Vögtlin Daniela Hüssy Christian Breitler Sonja Hartnack Christian Grund Jacqueline King Nina Wolfrum Sarah Albini |
| author_facet | Désirée Annaheim Barbara Renate Vogler Brigitte Sigrist Andrea Vögtlin Daniela Hüssy Christian Breitler Sonja Hartnack Christian Grund Jacqueline King Nina Wolfrum Sarah Albini |
| author_sort | Désirée Annaheim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pigeon paramyxovirus-1 (PPMV-1) is predominantly isolated from pigeons or doves and forms a separate group of viral strains within Avian Orthoavulavirus-1, the causative agent of Newcastle disease in poultry. Since the introduction of PPMV-1 into Europe in 1981, these strains have rapidly spread all over Europe, and are nowadays considered to be enzootic in feral and hobby pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>). Infections with PPMV-1 can range from asymptomatic to fatal. To assess whether PPMV-1 continuously circulates in healthy feral pigeons, 396 tissue samples of pigeons from the city of Zurich were tested by reverse transcriptase real-time PCR over the period of one year. PPMV-1-RNA was detected in 41 feral pigeons (10.35%), determined as the dominant European genotype VI.2.1.1.2.2. In 38 of the 41 pigeons where organ samples tested positive, PPMV-1-RNA was also detected in either choana or cloaca swabs. There were no significant differences in positivity rates between seasons, age, and sex. The current study shows that feral pigeons without clinical signs of disease can harbour and most likely excrete PPMV-1. Spill-over into free-range holdings of chickens are therefore possible, as observed in a recent outbreak of Newcastle disease in laying hens due to PPMV-1 genotype VI.2.1.1.2.2. in the canton of Zurich in January 2022. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:52:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bfbeaa961a874056bbd9e96c745fb663 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:52:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-bfbeaa961a874056bbd9e96c745fb6632023-12-02T00:02:52ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072022-08-01108165610.3390/microorganisms10081656Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic PoultryDésirée Annaheim0Barbara Renate Vogler1Brigitte Sigrist2Andrea Vögtlin3Daniela Hüssy4Christian Breitler5Sonja Hartnack6Christian Grund7Jacqueline King8Nina Wolfrum9Sarah Albini10National Reference Center for Poultry and Rabbit Diseases, Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandNational Reference Center for Poultry and Rabbit Diseases, Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandNational Reference Center for Poultry and Rabbit Diseases, Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), 3147 Mittelhäusern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), 3147 Mittelhäusern, SwitzerlandGamekeeper, Grün Stadt Zürich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandSection of Epidemiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandInstitute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald, GermanyInstitute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald, GermanyNational Reference Center for Poultry and Rabbit Diseases, Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandNational Reference Center for Poultry and Rabbit Diseases, Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, SwitzerlandPigeon paramyxovirus-1 (PPMV-1) is predominantly isolated from pigeons or doves and forms a separate group of viral strains within Avian Orthoavulavirus-1, the causative agent of Newcastle disease in poultry. Since the introduction of PPMV-1 into Europe in 1981, these strains have rapidly spread all over Europe, and are nowadays considered to be enzootic in feral and hobby pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>). Infections with PPMV-1 can range from asymptomatic to fatal. To assess whether PPMV-1 continuously circulates in healthy feral pigeons, 396 tissue samples of pigeons from the city of Zurich were tested by reverse transcriptase real-time PCR over the period of one year. PPMV-1-RNA was detected in 41 feral pigeons (10.35%), determined as the dominant European genotype VI.2.1.1.2.2. In 38 of the 41 pigeons where organ samples tested positive, PPMV-1-RNA was also detected in either choana or cloaca swabs. There were no significant differences in positivity rates between seasons, age, and sex. The current study shows that feral pigeons without clinical signs of disease can harbour and most likely excrete PPMV-1. Spill-over into free-range holdings of chickens are therefore possible, as observed in a recent outbreak of Newcastle disease in laying hens due to PPMV-1 genotype VI.2.1.1.2.2. in the canton of Zurich in January 2022.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1656Avian Orthoavulavirus-1pigeon paramyxovirus-1feral pigeon<i>Columba livia domestica</i>reverse transcriptase real-time PCRNewcastle disease |
| spellingShingle | Désirée Annaheim Barbara Renate Vogler Brigitte Sigrist Andrea Vögtlin Daniela Hüssy Christian Breitler Sonja Hartnack Christian Grund Jacqueline King Nina Wolfrum Sarah Albini Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry Microorganisms Avian Orthoavulavirus-1 pigeon paramyxovirus-1 feral pigeon <i>Columba livia domestica</i> reverse transcriptase real-time PCR Newcastle disease |
| title | Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry |
| title_full | Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry |
| title_fullStr | Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry |
| title_short | Screening of Healthy Feral Pigeons (<i>Columba livia domestica</i>) in the City of Zurich Reveals Continuous Circulation of Pigeon Paramyxovirus-1 and a Serious Threat of Transmission to Domestic Poultry |
| title_sort | screening of healthy feral pigeons i columba livia domestica i in the city of zurich reveals continuous circulation of pigeon paramyxovirus 1 and a serious threat of transmission to domestic poultry |
| topic | Avian Orthoavulavirus-1 pigeon paramyxovirus-1 feral pigeon <i>Columba livia domestica</i> reverse transcriptase real-time PCR Newcastle disease |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/8/1656 |
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