Identification and isolation of psittacid herpesvirus from psittacids in Brazil

• Published in: Veterinary microbiology Vol. 154; no. 1; pp. 69 - 77
• Main Authors: Luppi, Marcela Miranda, Luiz, Ana Paula Moreira Franco, Coelho, Fabiana Magalhães, Malta, Marcelo de Campos Cordeiro, Preis, Ingred Sales, Ecco, Roselene, da Fonseca, Flávio Guimarães, Resende, Mauricio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 29-12-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Bird Diseases - pathology; Bird Diseases - virology; Brazil; Cell culture; Cells, Cultured; Chick Embryo; Cloaca - pathology; Cloaca - virology; DNA, Viral - genetics; Fibroblasts - virology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Herpesviridae - genetics; Herpesviridae - isolation & purification; Herpesviridae - ultrastructure; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Herpesviridae Infections - virology; Histopathology; Leukocytes - pathology; Leukocytes - virology; Liver - pathology; Liver - virology; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Parrots - virology; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; PsHV; Psittacid herpesvirus; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Spleen - pathology; Spleen - virology; Virology; South America; Brazil; America; Cell culture; Histopathology; Psittacid herpesvirus; PsHV; Virus; Herpesviridae; Isolation; Identification; Veterinary
• ISSN: 0378-1135; 1873-2542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.06.027

Psittacid herpesvirus (PsHV) was isolated from 41 birds kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais/Brazil using chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) cell cultures. For this study, leukocytes or cloacal swabs of live birds were used. Also, portions of liver, spleen or kidney from birds collected at necropsy were utilized for these tests. PCR tests confirmed the presence of PsHV in 100% of samples. Thirty-three of the PCR products were sequenced and the results disclosed a 99% and 100% identity when compared with other sequences PsHV-1 (
AY372243.1 and
AF261756.1), previously deposited in GenBank. In addition, histopathology was performed and 19 of the 29 birds contained random multifocal lymphoplasmacytic hepatitis with necrotic foci, suggestive of viral infection. Three samples were examined by electron microscopy to visualize the viral particles obtained from cell culture. The viral structures measured 269
nm in average, had envelopes with an icosahedral capsid and tegument, consistent with herpesvirus. Thus, a total of 41 isolates were obtained from PsHV cell cultivation in CEF, confirming the circulation of the virus between parrots kept in captivity in Belo Horizonte, and affirming the importance of further studies in this area.