A retrospective molecular investigation of selected pigeon viruses between 2018-2021 in Turkey

PLoS One. 2022 Aug 29;17(8):e0268052. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268052. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

A recent first detection of pigeon aviadenovirus-1 and pigeon circovirus co-infection associated with Young Pigeon Disease Syndrome (YPDS) in a pigeon flock in Turkey, prompted a study focused on documenting the distribution of Pigeon aviadenovirus (PiAdV-1 and PiAdV-2), Pigeon circovirus (PiCV), Columbid alphaherpesvirus 1 (pigeon herpesvirus (PiHV)) and Fowl aviadenovirus (FAdV) in the country. These viruses were selected as they are associated with severe disease in pigeons across the world. A total of 192 cloacal swabs were collected from young (<1 year old) pigeons from 16 different private pigeon flocks across Turkey, between 2018 and 2021 as part of routine diagnostic sampling. PiCV genetic material was the most frequently detected 4/16 (25%), PiAdV-1 and CoHV-1 DNA were both found in one flock each, while neither PiAdV-2 and FAdV were detected in any of the studied pigeon flocks. PiCV and PiHV genetic material were both detected in the same pigeon flock's cloacal samples as a co-infection with the identification of PiHV being a first in Turkey.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aviadenovirus*
  • Bird Diseases*
  • Circoviridae Infections* / veterinary
  • Circovirus* / genetics
  • Coinfection*
  • Columbidae
  • Phylogeny
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Turkey

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.