Evidence of circulation of beak and feather disease virus in captive psittacine and non-psittacine birds in Bangladesh

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) is an emerging pathogen in many parts of the world that is responsible for causing beak and feather disease in birds. Since the virus is highly persistent in the environment and spreads by contact, birds raised in captivity are at a high risk of infection. Breeding, trading, and rearing of captive birds are becoming increasingly popular in many countries, including Bangladesh, increasing the risk of BFDV infection. However, it is unknown whether BFDV is circulating in captive birds in Bangladesh. This study was designed to conduct the first pilot survey to test the hypothesis that BFDV is circulating in Bangladesh. Feather samples were collected from 100 birds of 10 psittacine and two non-psittacine species from a breeding flock, three live-bird markets (LBMs), and two household flocks. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect the rep gene, together with sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. This study confirmed that BFDV is circulating in Bangladesh, with a positivity rate of 37%. The majority (78.38%) of PCR-positive birds were asymptomatic. The detection rate was higher in birds from the breeding flock (54.05%) than in LBMs (37.84%) and household flocks (8.11%) (P = 0.01). No significant variation was observed when considering the species (P = 0.14) and sex (P = 0.75) of the birds. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that the BFDV isolates found in LBMs and household flocks are genetically related to isolates from breeding flocks in the area as well as to many other isolates from different regions of the world. Further research needs to be done to determine the impact of this virus in the wider population.