Identifying a New Virus Linked to Bird Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Amy L Kistler, Ady Gancz, Susan Clubb, Peter Skewes-Cox, Kael Fischer, Katherine Sorber, Charles Y Chiu, Avishai Lublin, Sara Mechani, Yigal Farnoushi, Alexander Greninger, Christopher C Wen, Scott B Karlene, Don Ganem, Joseph L DeRisi
Primary Institution: University of California, San Francisco
Hypothesis
Is there a viral cause for proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) in psittacine birds?
Conclusion
The study found a significant association between avian bornavirus (ABV) and proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) in birds.
Supporting Evidence
- 62.5% of PDD cases tested positive for ABV, while none of the controls did.
- ABV was detected in 71% of confirmed PDD cases in a follow-up study.
- The complete genome of ABV was recovered from a PDD case.
- At least 5 distinct genetic subgroups of ABV were identified.
- ABV detection was confirmed through PCR testing.
Takeaway
Researchers found a new virus in sick birds that might be causing their illness, which has been a mystery for a long time.
Methodology
The study used a pan-viral microarray and ultra high throughput sequencing to analyze samples from PDD cases and controls.
Potential Biases
The study may have biased specimen collection towards more severe cases of PDD.
Limitations
Not all PDD cases tested positive for ABV, indicating potential other causes or detection issues.
Participant Demographics
Samples were collected from psittacine birds across different continents.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.01
Statistical Significance
p=0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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