Avian Pox in Shearwaters on Lord Howe Island
Conference Contribution ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Avipoxvirus infections occur in a wide range of bird spe- cies worldwide. In Australia pox is common in the Aus- tralian magpie (Cracticus tibicen), Currawongs (Strepera spp.) and Silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis) but very little is known about the evolution of this family of viruses or the disease ecology of avian poxviruses in seabirds. Pox lesions have been seen in colonies of Shy Albatross (Thalassarche cauta) in Bass Strait but the epidemiology of pox in pelagic birds is not very well elucidated. Two novel avipoxvirus species demonstrated in Flesh-footed Shearwater (A. carneipes) and Wedge-tailed Shearwater (A. pacificus) (SWPV-2) recently discovered in birds from Lord Howe Island had relatively close relationships with Canarypox virus, particularly within the highly conserved polymerase gene of these viruses. This raised some con- cern regarding the potential for cosmopolitan pathogens to spill over into wildlife. However, the results highlight how mistakes in interpretation could occur if only highly conserved genes are used to detect and or characterise viral infections. The results also contribute to a deeper understanding of the genetic relationships and likely com- plex epidemiology among avipoxvirus species in wildlife species.
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Association of Avian Veterinarians Australasian Annual Conference 2017
Volume
25
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Pages Count
6
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Publisher
Association of Avian Veterinarians Australasian
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Auckland, New Zealand
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