First detection and molecular characterisation of a pigeon aviadenovirus A and pigeon circovirus co-infection associated with Young Pigeon Disease Syndrome (YPDS) in Turkish pigeons (Columba livia domestica)

Abstract

Pigeon aviadenovirus A and Pigeon circovirus are both DNA viruses, infect and cause severe clinical diseases in pigeons. These viruses are associated with an immunosuppression syndrome similar to 'Young Pigeon Disease Syndrome' (YPDS). This study reports the identification of a natural co-infection, with severe clinical signs (crop vomiting, watery diarrhoea, anorexia and sudden death) of Pigeon aviadenovirus A and Pigeon circovirus in a breeding pigeon flock in Central Anatolia, Turkey. Both viruses were isolated from pigeons pooled internal organs using primary chicken embryo kidney cell cultures (CEKC) and specific pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs. Also, both viruses were identified by PCR amplification followed by Sanger sequencing whereas histopathological examination showed degenerated hepatocytes with basophilic intranuclear viral inclusions. As known, both viruses typically have similar transmission characteristics and common clinical manifestations; however, co-infection may exacerbate the disease with devastating outcomes. This is the first report of its kind in Turkey for those viruses and is essential for the protection against these kinds of infections in pigeons.

Keywords: PCR; co-infection; isolation; phylogenetic analysis; pigeon aviadenovirus; pigeon circovirus.