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Objective: To discover beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) genotypes in Australian parrots that might threaten vulnerable and endangered psittacine bird species. Methods: Phylogenetic analyses of new DNA sequence data from Australian birds including the Rep gene (n = 55) and nine whole genomes, were compared with all available published BFDV genomes to assess host- and geographically-based divergence as well as probable host-switch events. Results: Strong support for flexible host-switching and recombination was detected, indicating active cross-species transmission in various subpopulations. Conclusion:The data suggested that all endangered Australian psittacine bird species are equally likely to be infected by BFDV genotypes from any other close or distantly related host reservoir species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since it was first described in the early 1980s, psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) has become recognised as the dominant viral pathogen of psittacine birds in Australia. Our aim was to evaluate and review the effect of PBFD and its position as a key threatening process to Australian psittacine bird species. We review the origin/evolutionary pathways and potential threat of PBFD to endangered psittacine bird populations and captivebreeding flocks. Conclusions: The most recent beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) phylogenetic analyses indicate that all endangered Australian psittacine bird species are susceptible to, and equally likely to be infected by, BFDV genotypes from a range of host psittacine species. Management of the disease in captive-breeding programs has relied on testing and culling, which has proven costly. The risk of PBFD should be considered very carefully by management teams contemplating the establishment of captive-breeding flocks for endangered species. Alternative disease prevention tools, including vaccination, which are increasingly being used in wildlife health, should be considered more seriously for managing and preventing PBFD in captive flocks of critically endangered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic analyses of the highly genetically diverse but antigenically conserved, single-stranded circular, DNA genome of the avian circovirus, beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) from cockatoo species throughout Australia demonstrated a high mutation rate for BFDV (orders of magnitude fall in the range of 10(-4) substitutions/site/year) along with strong support for recombination indicating active cross-species transmission in various subpopulations. Multiple variants of BFDV were demonstrated with at least 30 genotypic variants identified within nine individual birds, with one containing up to 7 variants. Single genetic variants were detected in feathers from 2 birds but splenic tissue provided further variants. The rich BFDV genetic diversity points to Australasia as the most likely geographical origin of this virus and supports flexible host switching. We propose this as evidence of Order-wide host generalism in the Psittaciformes characterised by high mutability that is buffered by frequent recombination and slow replication strategy., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)