Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction and dot blot hybridisation tests in the diagnosis of pigeon circovirus infections

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and dot blot hybridisation (DBH) tests for detecting pigeon circovirus (PiCV) DNA were developed and evaluated using tissue samples obtained from diseased and clinically normal pigeons, which originated in Belgium and Northern Ireland. When PCR product was visually detected, the limit of detection of the PCR test was 31 fg, while that of the DBH was 1.6p g. For evaluation purposes, the results of the PCR and DBH tests, performed with DNAs extracted from samples of bursa of Fabricius (BF), were compared with those of in situ hybridisation (ISH) and histology. In 32 samples tested by all four tests, 27 (84%) were positive by PCR, 24 (75%) were positive by ISH, 20 (63%) were positive by DBH, and 13 (41%) were positive by histology. Additional PCR testing showed that in some disease-affected birds, PiCV DNA could be detected in a range of tissues including thymus, spleen, liver, kidney and brain. The PCR detection of PiCV DNA in BF samples from clinically normal birds indicated that PCR can detect infections in the absence of disease, a finding that mitigates against its use as a disease diagnostic. In addition, nucleotide sequence determinations indicated that PCR test performance was adversely affected by the sequence diversity exhibited by selected PiCVs. The application of the DBH test to dilutions of test samples indicated that the BF from some diseased pigeons contained very large amounts of virus DNA, as much as 10(13)genome copies/g tissue, and suggested that this test may be a convenient method of providing a semi-quantitative estimate of virus load.     

The epidemiology,molecular characterization and clinical pathology of circovirus infections in pigeons – current knowledge

The first cases of circovirus infections in pigeons were documented less than 25 years ago. Since then, circovirus infections have been reported on nearly all continents. The specificity of pigeon breeding defies biosecurity principles, which could be the reason for the high prevalence of PiCV infections. PiCV infections in pigeons lead to atrophy of immune system organs and lymphocyte apoptosis. Infected birds could be more susceptible to infections of the respiratory and digestive tract. PiCV has been associated with the young pigeon disease syndrome (YPDS). PiCVs are characterized by high levels of genetic diversity due to frequent point mutations, recombination processes in the PiCV genome and positive selection. Genetic recombinations and positive selection play the key role in the evolution of PiCV. A protocol for culturing PiCV under laboratory conditions has not yet been developed, and traditional vaccines against the infection are not available. Recombinant capsid proteins for detecting anti-PiCV antibodies have been obtained, and these antigens can be used in the production of diagnostic tests and subunit vaccines against PiCV infections. However, YPDS has complex etiology, and it remains unknown whether immunization against PiCV alone will contribute to effective control of YPDS.     

Development of a polymerase chain reaction-based in vivo method in the diagnosis of subclinical pigeon circovirus infection

This paper describes a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method performed on blood samples and intestinal content to detect subclinical pigeon circovirus (PiCV) infection in live pigeons. In addition, two sets of primers (primer set 1 and 2), designed in two different regions of the viral genome, were used to provide evidence of possible differences in PCR responses. Blood and intestinal content samples were randomly collected from a total of 50 apparently healthy meat pigeons, aged 1 to 5 wk, which came from central Italy. Samples of primary lymphoid organs were also collected. Results showed a high level of PiCV infection, although clinical signs were not present. The results obtained with the two sets of primers showed that primer set 2 was able to detect a higher number of PCR-positive pigeons (45 of 50 pigeons) than primer set 1 (11 of 50 pigeons). In both cases an increase in positive results with pigeon age indicates that the major direction of transmission is likely horizontal. In these circumstances feces can play an important epidemiologic role, as supported by the consistent circovirus detection in intestinal content. The high sensitivity of this PCR test, which is able to detect very low amounts of viral DNA (5.5 x 10(-3) fg of plasmid containing the cloned PiCV genome), makes it suitable for possible application as an epidemiologic tool for identifying virus carriers for subsequent removal from lofts.     

Experimental infection of domestic pigeons with pigeon circovirus

Pigeon circovirus (PiCV) infection and young pigeon disease syndrome (YPDS), associated with high morbidity and mortality, have been recognized in young racing pigeons from large portions of Central Europe. There exist a number of data indicating that YPDS is a consequence of PiCV infection and subsequent immunosuppression. In order to prove PiCV to be one of the crucial factors of YPDS, an experimental infection with PiCV was performed under controlled conditions. Twenty-four domestic pigeons (Columba livia forma domestica) were divided into two groups with 12 pigeons each; an infection group and a control group. All birds were between their fourth to eighth week of life. Pigeons in the infection group were infected both intramuscularly and orally with PiCV purified from naturally infected birds, while pigeons in the control group received a placebo. To test a possible influence of the PiCV infection on the immune system, the animals in both groups were vaccinated simultaneously, on the same day, against PMV-1 (Lasovac plus, IDT, Dessau-Tornau, Germany). Weekly virologic testing showed a viraemic period, and excretion of the infection virus, in pigeons in the infection group. Replication of PiCV could be proved on the basis of histologic findings of multiglobular inclusion bodies, mainly observed in macrophages of the bursa of Fabricius. A PiCV, genetically distinct from the experimental virus, was detected in the control group by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, but any histologic findings comparable to the infection group were absent. None of the pigeons revealed clinical signs of illness, or hints that immunosuppression had occurred, regardless of their group. The absence of stressful conditions, considered as a trigger for the development of YPDS, may be responsible for the failure of disease reproduction in our infection model.     

Prevalence of pigeon circovirus infections in feral pigeons in Ljubljana, Slovenia

Pigeon circovirus (PiCV) was detected by real-time PCR in cloacal swabs, pharyngeal swabs, and serum samples taken from 74 feral pigeons (Columba livia var. domestica) that were caught at various locations in the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia. PiCV infections were detected in the majority of the tested birds. The highest (74.3%) detection rate was observed in the cloacal swabs and the lowest (31.1%) in serum samples. PiCV DNA was more readily detected in the cloacal swabs, pharyngeal swabs, and serum samples of birds younger than 1 yr. Molecular analysis of partial open reading frame V1 sequences showed that PiCV strains detected in feral pigeons share high nucleotide and amino acid sequence identities with PiCV strains detected in ornamental, racing, meat, and feral pigeons.     

鸽圆环病毒SYBR GreenⅠ荧光定量PCR方法的建立及应用

为建立一种针对鸽圆环病毒(PiCV)的快速诊断方法,试验根据PiCV的Rep保守基因序列,设计合成一对特异性引物,建立了PiCV荧光定量PCR检测方法,对其敏感性、特异性、重复性进行评价并利用该方法对临床样本进行检测。结果表明:在最佳反应条件下,所建立的PiCV荧光定量PCR方法在1.43×10²~1.43×10⁸copies/μL标准品范围内具有良好的线性相关性,线性相关系数为0.998;敏感性试验结果显示,该方法最低可检测到1.43×10²copies/μL标准品,是常规PCR检测方法的1000倍;特异性试验结果显示,该方法与其他常见的鸽病病原不发生交叉反应;重复性评价结果显示,批内与批间的变异系数均小于0.8%;所建立PiCV荧光定量PCR方法对临床鸽血清样品检测结果显示,PiCV阳性率达38.7%,高于常规PCR方法的检测阳性率(28.7%),说明该方法具有良好的适用性。研究结果PiCV的流行病学调查、病原学监测及定量研究奠定了基础。     

北京地区1株鸽圆环病毒全基因组测定及遗传进化分析

[目的] 了解北京地区流行的鸽圆环病毒（Pigeon circovirus,PiCV）的基因组特征及变异规律。[方法] 以3只发病鸽的肝脏和脾脏组织为模板,采用PCR技术检测病原。以检测阳性的肝脏组织DNA为模板,应用PCR技术分段扩增PiCV的全基因序列。应用DNAStar和Mega 7.0软件对扩增得到的全序列进行拼接和核苷酸序列比对,并构建系统进化树,对病毒基因组的2个开放阅读框分别进行核苷酸和氨基酸序列比对,并构建系统进化树。[结果] 经PCR检测,3只病鸽中有1只病鸽的组织中检测到PiCV阳性,并未检出其他病毒。采用PCR分段扩增成功获得了1株PiCV的全基因组序列,命名为PiCV BJ,该病毒基因组大小为2 034 bp,包含有2个主要的开放阅读框（ORFs）,ORF-V1编码Rep蛋白,ORF-C1编码Cap蛋白。相似性比对结果显示,PiCV BJ株基因组序列与GenBank上登录的其他参考序列的核苷酸相似性在86.0%~97.0%之间,与2011年分离自波兰的PL53相似性为97.0%。遗传进化结果显示,PiCV BJ株与2014年分离自波兰的PL124在同一分支,亲缘关系较近;与其他禽源圆环病毒不在同一分支,亲缘关系较远。PiCV BJ株Cap基因的起始密码子为ATG,与2011年分离自比利时的11-08304株核苷酸、氨基酸序列相似性高达95.8%和85.2%;Rep基因与2011年分离自波兰的PL53相似性最高,核苷酸和氨基酸相似性分别高达94.6%和96.2%;Cap和Rep基因的进化树分析结果也显示,PiCV BJ株均与PL53和11-08304株在同一分支,亲缘关系较近,这与相似性分析的结果一致。[结论] PiCV BJ株来自国外,可能由赛鸽引种传入中国,提示在外部引种时要做好病毒监测。本研究丰富了PiCV的遗传学研究资料,为进一步探究PiCV的遗传变异及传播机制提供了参考依据,也为PiCV的防控提供了重要的理论基础。     

Severe leukopenia and liver necrosis in young African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus erithacus) infected with psittacine circovirus

This paper describes the signs, clinical pathology, and postmortem findings in 14 young African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus erithacus) that were naturally infected with psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) virus (psittacine circovirus). All but two of the parrots had severe leukopenia at clinical presentation. Two other parrots also had severe anemia. All birds died within 3 wk after presentation. Postmortem examination documented liver necrosis in 11 of 14 birds and secondary bacterial or fungal infections in 9 of 14 birds. Tests for Chlamydia psittaci, polyomavirus, and Salmonella sp. were negative. PBFD viral infection could be demonstrated in all birds by polymerase chain reaction. Supporting evidence of PBFD viral infection was gathered by histologic examination of the bursa of Fabricius, electron microscopy, and DNA in situ hybridization. Electron microscopic examination of both the bursa of Fabricius and liver revealed virus particles resembling circovirus. DNA in situ hybridization of six liver tissue samples confirmed the presence of PBFD virus and excluded the presence of avian polyomavirus. Our findings suggest that a specific presentation of peracute PBFD viral infection, characterized by severe leukopenia, anemia, or pancytopenia and liver necrosis in the absence of feather and beak abnormalities, may occur in young African grey parrots.     

鸽圆环病毒浙江株△Cap基因的克隆与原核表达

根据已发表的鸽圆环病毒(PiCV)序列,在V1ORF保守序列部位设计引物(目的片段长度为629bp),对浙江某鸽养殖场的病料进行PCR扩增检测,获得阳性样品;应用设计的删除核定位信号外壳蛋白基因(△Cap)的引物,扩增获得680bp的△Cap基因,克隆于pMD18-T载体,进行测序;将△Cap基因亚克隆到原核表达载体pET-28a进行融合表达,SDS-PAGE电泳检测发现,△Cap融合蛋白经IPTG诱导后在大肠杆菌中以包涵体形式表达,目的蛋白表达量占菌体总蛋白的22.1%。     

猪圆环病毒2型原位杂交检测技术的建立与应用

参照GenBank发表的猪圆环病毒2型（PCV2）ORF2基因序列设计引物，利用PCR扩增得到PCV2BF株341bp的核酸片段，用随机引物法制备出地高辛标记的核酸探针。制备的探针与PCV1、PRRSV、PPV、PRV等不发生反应，可检测的最低PCV2DNA含量为1．78Pg。对30份临床组织样本进行了检测，并与PCR比较，结果表明，阴性符合率为100％，阳性符合率为88．9％。应用原位杂交技术分析了PCV2在人工感染仔猪主要组织中的分布，结果表明，感染后3d，从仔猪的淋巴结、胸腺、肺脏、脾脏、鼻黏膜可检测到阳性信号，感染后21d，肝脏、肾脏、胰腺和回肠可检出阳性信号，至感染后42d，可从心脏、胃、脑检出阳性信号。在整个试验过程中会厌软骨、膀胱、皮肤、肌肉等组织均为阴性。本研究结果表明，建立的PCV2原位杂交技术具有良好的敏感性和特异性，可用于PCV2的实验室诊断和感染靶细胞的定位分析。     

Observations on pigeon circovirus infection in Ontario.

Subclinical pigeon circovirus infection was diagnosed in 1-day-old to 6-week-old birds from a loft with no history of clinical disease. Pigeons from other lofts presented with various illnesses and were found at necropsy to be concurrently infected with pigeon circovirus.     

A novel method for the detection of porcine circovirus type 2 replicative double stranded viral DNA and nonreplicative single stranded viral DNA in tissue sections.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), an economically important pathogen of swine, is the necessary cause of post weaning multisystemic wasting disease (PMWS); PCV2 infection is associated with porcine dermatitis and nephritis syndrome (PDNS). Current immunohistochemical (IHC) methodologies identify PCV2 antigens but are not capable of differentiating replicating virus from nonreplicating virion particles in tissue sections. In this paper, a combination of IHC using commercial monoclonal antibodies specific for single stranded (ss) and double stranded (ds) DNA and PCV2 specific in situ hybridization (ISH) was used to show the specificity of the former for PCV2 DNA in tissue sections from PCV2-infected gnotobiotic pigs. Cold-ethanol-fixed tissue sections were superior to formalin-fixed tissues for detection of PCV2 DNA, presumably due to the lack of protein cross-linking in the latter. These data demonstrate that conventional IHC detects PCV2 DNA forms in experimentally infected PCV2-positive gnotobiotic porcine tissue sections that are minimally compromised by either formalin fixation or the hybridization conditions needed for ISH.     

Detection of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) and avian polyomavirus (APV) DNA in psittacine birds in Italy

Beak and feather disease (psittacine circovirus) and Budgerigar fledgling disease (avian polyomavirus) are viral diseases that can frequently affect captive psittacine birds. We designed the first survey to investigate the presence of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) and Avian polyomavirus (APV) inside the population of captive psittacine birds in Italy. Samples were collected in 18 Italian psittacine breeding centres and four trade centres over a 4-year period. A total of 1516 birds were tested for BFDV and 877 birds were tested for APV by means of a polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) assay. BFDV was found in 122 (8.05%) and APV in 7 (0.79%) birds. No significant difference in infection rate was found between imported and locally raised parrots. We report the first BFDV DNA isolation in wild birds imported to Italy from Papua New Guinea.     

Avian circovirus diseases: lessons for the study of PMWS

The diseases associated with psittacine beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), pigeon circovirus (PiCV) and goose circovirus (GoCV), which can be classified with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) as members of the genus Circovirus of the family Circoviridae, have clinico-pathological features in common with post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), with which PCV2 infection is causally associated. Intracytoplasmic botryoid inclusions within macrophages and depletion of T and B lymphocytes are common histopathological features, and, in each case, affected animals usually exhibit ill-thrift and a predisposition to secondary infections, that is suggestive of an underlying immunosuppression. Although these avian diseases have been the subjects of relatively little research, their study can provide directly applicable lessons in the areas of diagnosis, epidemiology, pathogenesis and disease control for those charged with investigating PMWS. In keeping with its taxonomic separation as the only member of the genus Gyrovirus, the disease caused by chicken anaemia virus (CAV) differs histopathologically from the other circovirus-associated diseases. Most notably, the target cells of CAV have been identified as haemocytoblasts and precursor T lymphocytes, with lymphocyte depletion, which affects T cells only, occurring in cells directly infected with the virus. Nonetheless, CAV is the best-researched circovirus and provides excellent examples of both virus-induced immunosuppression and virus-virus interactions. The study of CAV-induced disease can therefore provide valuable, if less directly applicable lessons.     

Detection of pigeon circovirus by polymerase chain reaction

Pigeon circovirus was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in young pigeons belonging to 12 different lofts. Viral DNA was extracted from formalin-fed, paraffin-imbedded tissues containing primarily bursa and occasionally liver and spleen with a commercial kit. PCR primers were selected from a published sequence for columbid circovirus and evaluated in a PCR assay. The histopathologic examination of various tissues revealed basophilic globular intracytoplasmic inclusions in the mononuclear cells of the bursa of Fabricius and occasionally in the spleen characteristic for a circovirus. Transmission electron microscopy of a few bursas of Fabricius revealed virus particles measuring 18-21 nm. All the samples were negative by PCR for psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) virus and chicken infectious anemia virus. The primers for both pigeon circovirus and PBFD virus did not react in PCR with the chicken anemia virus DNA. Most of the circovirus-infected pigeons had concurrent infections of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Pasteurella, Aspergillus, candidiasis, nematodiasis, or capillariasis.     

猪圆环病毒2型原位杂交检测方法的建立

参照GenBank发表的PCV2ORFl基因序列设计了1对引物,利用PCR地高辛探针合成的方法制备了长度为494bp的特异性探针,经检验具有良好的特异性和敏感性,可检测最低质粒DNA质量浓度为0．9728ug／L。用该探针建立了原位杂交组织切片检测方法,并用来检测PCV2感染猪的扁桃体和淋巴结组织,结果表明阳性信号主要存在于巨噬细胞胞浆中,信号强、背景良好,阴性对照无显色,说明该方法可作为PCV2实验室诊断和机理研究的一种有效检测方法。     

Use of in situ hybridization with a biotinylated probe for the detection of bovine herpesvirus-1 in aborted fetal tissue

Forty-five cases of bovine abortion were examined using in situ hybridization (ISH) with a biotinylated DNA probe specific for bovine herpesvirus-1 (BHV-1). Of the 45 cases, 16 were diagnosed as due to BHV-1, 15 were determined to be due to other causes, and 14 were of undetermined etiology. Direct comparisons between ISH and an immunoperoxidase (IP) test specific for BHV-1 were performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections of lung, liver, kidney, spleen, thymus, and placenta; fluorescent antibody tests for BHV-1 and virus isolation were performed on fresh lung and liver. In comparison to these routine BHV-1 detection techniques, ISH had an overall sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 89.3% in detecting BHV-1 in aborted fetuses. Immunoperoxidase was more sensitive than ISH with tissue sections from lung (87.5% vs. 69%), liver (92% vs. 17%), spleen, and placenta; results of the tests on tissue sections from kidney were concordant. Liver sections presented special problems in that nonspecific reactions were frequently observed with hybridization. With thymus sections, the rate of detection was higher by hybridization than by IP, but the specificity of some of these reactions could not be confirmed.     

番鸭细小病毒与鸭圆环病毒二重PCR方法的建立

根据基因库中鸭圆环病毒和番鸭细小病毒的基因序列,分别设计了两对特异性引物,通过对二重PCR扩增条件的优化,研究建立了可同时鉴别检测鸭圆环病毒和番鸭细小病毒的二重PCR方法。用该方法对同一样品中鸭圆环病毒和番鸭细小病毒的模板进行PCR扩增,结果均得到了与实验设计相符的351bp（鸭圆环病毒）和474bp（番鸭细小病毒）的扩增条带,而对鸭Ⅰ型肝炎病毒、鹅细小病毒、鸭副黏病毒、鸭瘟病毒和禽流感病毒等病原体的检测全为阴性。敏感性测定结果表明：该二重PCR技术最低能检出100fg的鸭圆环病毒和番鸭细小病毒DNA模板。研究建立的鸭圆环病毒和番鸭细小病毒的二重PCR方法,具有快速、敏感、特异、定量和重复性好等优点,可用于临床上鸭圆环病毒和番鸭细小病毒感染的检测。     

New data on the transmission of pigeon circovirus

Nineteen racing pigeons aged from one to five years were examined postmortem. pcr tests showed that the spleens of 16 of them were positive for pigeon circovirus, the livers of six were positive, and blood from one of them was positive for the virus. Five of 44 embryos in embryonated eggs collected from three lofts were positive by pcr, but swabs taken from the crops of 64 adult birds which were feeding one- to 10-day-old squabs in these three lofts were negative for the viral dna.     

鸭新城疫病毒和鸭圆环病毒二重PCR检测方法的建立

本研究根据GenBank中鸭新城疫病毒(NDV)的F基因和鸭圆环病毒(DuCV)的V1/rep基因的保守序列,各设计一对特异性引物,并对二重PCR的扩增条件进行优化,建立了鸭NDV和DuCV的二重PCR检测方法。对混合样品进行扩增,得到2条大小为493bp(鸭NDV)和218bp(DuCV)的特异性条带,与预扩增片段相符。而对番鸭细小病毒、鸭瘟病毒、鸭肝炎病毒、鸭源小鹅瘟病毒、鸭H9亚型流感病毒、鸭疫里氏杆菌、大肠杆菌、禽多杀性巴氏杆菌等病原检测,结果为阴性。该方法的敏感性试验表明,鸭NDV的核酸最小量为40fg,DuCV为20fg。