A Review of DNA Viral Infections in Psittacine Birds

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 72; no. 9; pp. 1099 - 1106
• Main Authors: KATOH, Hiroshi, OGAWA, Hirohito, OHYA, Kenji, FUKUSHI, Hideto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 2010; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Adenoviridae Infections - epidemiology; Adenoviridae Infections - veterinary; Adenovirus; Animals; Aves; Avian polyomavirus; Beak - virology; Bird Diseases - epidemiology; Bird Diseases - virology; Circoviridae; Circoviridae Infections - epidemiology; Circoviridae Infections - veterinary; DNA virus; DNA Viruses - pathogenicity; DNA, Viral; Feathers - virology; Herpesviridae Infections - epidemiology; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Herpesvirus; Papillomavirus; Papillomavirus Infections - epidemiology; Papillomavirus Infections - veterinary; Polyomavirus Infections - epidemiology; Polyomavirus Infections - veterinary; Poxviridae Infections - epidemiology; Poxviridae Infections - veterinary; Psittaciformes - virology; psittacine bird; review; Virus Diseases - epidemiology; Virus Diseases - veterinary
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.10-0022

To date, several DNA viral infections have been reported in psittacine birds. Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is characterized by symmetric feather dystrophy and loss and development of beak deformities. PBFD is caused by beak and feather virus, which belongs to the Circoviridae, and is the most important infection in psittacine birds worldwide. Avian polyomavirus infection causes acute death, abdominal distention, and feather abnormalities. Pacheco's disease (PD), which is caused by psittacid herpesvirus type 1, is an acute lethal disease without a prodrome. Psittacine adenovirus infections are described as having a clinical progression similar to PD. The clinical changes in psittacine poxvirus-infected birds include serious ocular discharge, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis, followed by the appearance of ulcerations on the medial canthi of the eyes. Internal papillomatosis of parrots (IPP) is a tumor disease characterized by progressive development of papillomas in the oral and cloacal mucosa. IPP has been suggested to caused by papillomavirus or herpesvirus. However, information about these diseases is limited. Here we review the etiology, clinical features, pathology, epidemiology, and diagnosis of these DNA viruses.