Molecular Survey of Pathogens in Wild Amazon Parrot Nestlings: Implications for Conservation

Autor(es)

Vaz, Frederico Fontanelli ^[1] ; Sipinski, Elenise Angelotti Bastos ^[2] ; Seixas, Glaucia Helena Fernandes ^{[3, 4]} ; Prestes, Nemora Pauletti ^[5] ; Martinez, Jaime ^[5] ; Raso, Tania Freitas ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Vet Med & Anim Sci, Avian Ecopathol Lab, BR-05508270 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Soc Wildlife Res & Environm Educ, BR-80520310 Curitiba, Parana - Brazil

^[3] Parque Aves, BR-85855750 Foz Do Iguacu - Brazil

^[4] Neotrop Fdn Brazil, BR-79290000 Bonito - Brazil

^[5] Univ Passo Fundo, Inst Biol Sci, BR-99042800 Passo Fundo, RS - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: DIVERSITY-BASEL; v. 13, n. 6 JUN 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

South America presents the greatest Psittacidae diversity in the world, but also has the highest numbers of threatened parrot species. Recently, exotic viruses have been detected in captive native psittacine birds in Brazil, however, their impacts on the health of wild parrots are still unknown. We evaluated the presence of Chlamydia psittaci, Psittacid alphaherpesvirus 1 (PsHV-1), avipoxvirus and beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) in wild Amazona aestiva, A. brasiliensis and A. pretrei nestlings and in wild caught A. aestiva nestlings seized from illegal trade. Samples were collected from 205 wild nestlings and 90 nestlings from illegal trade and pathogen-specific PCR was performed for each sample. Chlamydia DNA prevalence was 4.7% in A. aestiva and 2.5% in A. brasiliensis sampled from the wild. Sequencing revealed that the C. psittaci sample belonged to the genotype A. PsHV-1, avipoxvirus and BFDV DNA was not detected. These results have conservation implications since they suggest that wild parrot populations have a low prevalence of the selected pathogens and, apparently, they were not reached by the exotic BFDV. Stricter health protocols should be established as condition to reintroduction of birds to the wild to guarantee the protection of Neotropical parrots. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 16/03928-2 - OCORRÊNCIA DE AGENTES INFECCIOSOS EM PAPAGAIOS DO GÊNERO Amazona DE VIDA LIVRE E RECÉM-APREENDIDOS ORIUNDOS DO TRÁFICO: IMPLICAÇÕES PARA A CONSERVAÇÃO
• Beneficiário: Frederico Fontanelli Vaz
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado