Abstract
The ring-necked parakeet (RNP), Psittacula krameri, is an invasive species in Great Britain (GB) which is undergoing rapid population expansion in the wild. Although it has been suggested that RNPs could be a potential source of infectious disease, little research has been done on the pathogens infecting this species in GB. Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is an important infectious disease of psittacines, including captive RNPs, in GB and elsewhere. A wild RNP with marked feather abnormalities observed in an urban garden in London was euthanased and examined post mortem. Plucked contour feathers and pooled liver and spleen were PCR-positive for BFDV DNA. Histopathological examination of affected skin demonstrated BFDV-compatible lesions. A feather from another RNP from a different location also was PCR-positive for BFDV. This is the first report of PBFD in a wild free-living bird in GB. BFDV only affects psittacines; therefore, there is no known risk to native British birds. The presence of BFDV in free-living RNPs, however, could pose a disease threat to captive psittacines. Further work is required to determine the distribution and impact of BFDV infection in free-living RNPs in GB. Whether this case represents sporadic disease associated with established endemic infection or the index case of an emergent disease is currently unknown.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Borel N, Kempf E, Hotzel H, Schubert E, Torgerson P, Slickers P, Ehricht R, Tasara T, Pospischil A, Sachse K (2008) Direct identification of chlamydiae from clinical samples using a DNA microarray assay: a validation study. Mol Cell Probes 22:55–64. doi:10.1016/j.mcp.2007.06.003
Butler CJ (2005) Feral parrots in the Continental United States and United Kingdom: past, present and future. J Avian Med Surg 19:142–149
Butler CJ, Cresswell W, Gosler A, Perrins C (2013) The breeding biology of rose-ringed parakeets Psittacula krameri in England during a period of rapid population expansion. Bird Study 60:527–532. doi:10.1080/00063657.2013.836154
Buxton D, Rae AG, Maley SW, Thompson KM, Livingstone M, Jones GE, Herring AJ (1996) Pathogenesis of Chlamydia psittaci infection in sheep: detection of the organism in a serial study of the lymph node. J Comp Path 114:221–230. doi:10.1016/S0021-9975(96)80044-2
Colar NJ (1997) Family Psittacidae (Parrots). In: del Hoyo J, Elliot A, Sargatal J, Christie DA (eds.). Handbook of the birds of the world, volume 4. Sandgrouse to cuckoos, first edn. Lynx Editions: Barcelona, Spain. pp. 280–479.
Fletcher M, Askew N (2007) Review of the status, ecology and likely future spread of parakeets in England. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/wildlife/management/non-native/documents/csl-parakeet-deskstudy.pdf. Accessed 1 Oct 2013.
Gerlach H (1994) Viruses. In: Ritchie BW (ed) Avian medicine principles and application, 1st edn. Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth, FL, USA, pp 862–948
Ha HJ, Anderson IL, Alley MR, Springett BP, Gartrell BD (2007) The prevalence of beak and feather disease virus infection in wild populations of parrots and cockatoos in New Zealand. N Z Vet J 55:235–238
Holling M, The Rare Breeding Birds Panel (2011) Non-native breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Br Birds 104:114–138
Katoh H, Ogawa H, Ohya K, Fukushi H (2010) A review of DNA viral infections in psittacine birds. J Vet Med Sci 72:1099–1106. doi:10.1292/jvms.10-0022
Massaro M, Ortiz-Catedral L, Julian L, Galbraith JA, Kurenbach B, Kearvell J, Kemp J, van Hal J, Elkington S, Taylor G, Greene T, van de Wetering J, van de Wetering M, Pryde M, Dijks P, Heber S, Steeves TE, Walters M, Shaw S, Potter J, Farrant M, Brunton DH, Hauber M, Jackson B, Bell P, Moorhouse R, McInnes K, Varsani A (2011) Molecular characterisation of beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) in New Zealand and its implications for managing an infectious disease. Arch Virol 157:1651–1663. doi:10.1007/s00705-012-1336-5
Newson SE, Johnston A, Parrott D, Leech DI (2011) Evaluating the population-level impact of an invasive species, ring-necked Parakeet Psittacula krameri, on native avifauna. Ibis 153:509–516. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.2011.01121.x
Raidal SR (2012) Avian circovirus and polyomavirus diseases. In: Miller RE, Fowler ME (eds) Fowler’s zoo and wild animal medicine, current therapy, vol 7. Elsevier, St. Louis, MO, USA, pp 297–303
Robinson RA, Lawson B, Toms MP, Peck KM, Kirkwood JK, Chantrey J, Clatworthy IR, Evans AD, Hughes LA, Hutchinson OC, John SK, Pennycott TW, Perkins MW, Rowley PS, Simpson VR, Tyler KM, Cunningham AA (2010) Emerging infectious disease leads to rapid population declines of common British birds. PLoS ONE 5:e12215. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0012215
Varsani A, Regnard GL, Bragg R, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP (2011) Global genetic diversity and geographical and host-species distribution of beak and feather disease virus isolates. J Gen Virol 92:752–767. doi:10.1099/vir.0.028126-0
Wheelhouse NM, Howie F, Gidlow J, Greub G, Dagleish MP, Longbottom D (2012) Involvement of Parachlamydia sp. bacteria in bovine abortions in Scotland. Vet J 193:586–588. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.01.008
Acknowledgments
We thank the members of the public who reported sick birds and submitted samples, and our colleagues at Avian Biotech, Finn Pathologists, Project Parakeet (Imperial College, London), the University of Zurich, the Scottish Government, and the Zoological Society of London for their assistance with this research. This work was financially supported by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency through the GB Wildlife Disease Surveillance Partnership, Defra (WC 1027), The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Institute of Zoology and the Scottish Government.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by C. Gortázar
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sa, R.C.C., Cunningham, A.A., Dagleish, M.P. et al. Psittacine beak and feather disease in a free-living ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) in Great Britain. Eur J Wildl Res 60, 395–398 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0792-x
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-013-0792-x