HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gailbreath, K. L. Articles by Oaks, J. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gailbreath, K. L. Articles by Oaks, J. L.

¹ Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, 155N Bustad Hall, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7034, USA
² Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Box 647040, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040, USA
³ Corresponding author (email: loaks{at}vetmed.wsu.edu)

ABSTRACT:   A herpesviral disease of Rock Pigeons (Columba livia), called "inclusion body disease" or "inclusion body hepatitis," was first described in the 1940s. The disease involves hepatic and splenic necrosis with associated intranuclear inclusion bodies and occurs primarily in young squabs. A similar herpesviral disease occurs in falcons and owls. Serologic and restriction endonuclease digestion studies indicate that herpesviruses from pigeons, falcons, and owls are very closely related and that most reported cases of disease in falcons and owls involve prior documented or possible ingestion of pigeons. These findings led to the hypothesis that an endemic herpesvirus of pigeons may be causing disease in falcons and owls. In order to test this hypothesis, we sequenced a fragment of the herpesviral DNA polymerase gene from naturally infected owls, falcons, and pigeons with inclusion body disease collected between 1991 and 2006. Sequences from all three sources were almost identical, and we therefore propose that the usual agent of inclusion body hepatitis in owls and falcons is columbid herpesvirus 1.
  Key words:  Columbid herpesvirus 1, falcon, herpesvirus, inclusion body disease, inclusion body hepatitis, owl, Rock Pigeon.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. E. Pinkerton, J. F. X. Wellehan Jr., A. J. Johnson, A. L. Childress, S. D. Fitzgerald, and M. J. Kinsel COLUMBID HERPESVIRUS-1 IN TWO COOPER'S HAWKS (ACCIPITER COOPERII) WITH FATAL INCLUSION BODY DISEASE J. Wildl. Dis., July 1, 2008; 44(3): 622 - 628. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]