Analysis of naturally occurring avian bornavirus infection and transmission during an outbreak of proventricular dilatation disease among captive psittacine birds

A proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) outbreak provided the opportunity to investigate the transmissibility of avian Bornavirus (ABV) and its linkage to PDD under natural conditions. Upon exposure to a bird with a fatal case of PDD, 10 birds became symptomatic and died. ABV2 RNA was recovered from available tissues. Further screening revealed that 12/46 exposed birds were ABV2(+). Three chicks boarded at this aviary developed PDD. They harbored the same ABV2 isolate and transmitted it to five of eight chicks in their home aviary. These findings demonstrate that ABV infection precedes the development of PDD. ABV-specific Western blotting and reverse transcription-PCR indicate that ABV2 is not strictly neurotropic.