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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2005, p. 3414-3420, Vol. 43, No. 7
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.7.3414-3420.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Isolation and Epidemiology of Falcon Adenovirus

J. Lindsay Oaks,1* Mark Schrenzel,2 Bruce Rideout,2 and Cal Sandfort3

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-7040,1 The Zoological Society of San Diego, Center for Reproduction of Endangered Species, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, California 92112-0551,2 The Peregrine Fund, 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, Idaho 837093

Received 9 August 2004/ Returned for modification 7 November 2004/ Accepted 5 December 2004

An adenovirus was detected by electron microscopy in tissues from falcons that died during an outbreak of inclusion body hepatitis and enteritis that affected neonatal Northern aplomado (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) and peregrine (Falco peregrinus anatum) falcons. Molecular characterization has identified the falcon virus as a new member of the aviadenovirus group (M. Schrenzel, J. L. Oaks, D. Rotstein, G. Maalouf, E. Snook, C. Sandfort, and B. Rideout, J. Clin. Microbiol. 43:3402-3413, 2005). In this study, the virus was successfully isolated and propagated in peregrine falcon embryo fibroblasts, in which it caused visible and reproducible cytopathology. Testing for serum neutralizing antibodies found that infection with this virus was limited almost exclusively to falcons. Serology also found that wild and captive peregrine falcons had high seropositivity rates of 80% and 100%, respectively, although clinical disease was rarely reported in this species. These data implicate peregrine falcons as the natural host and primary reservoir for the virus. Other species of North American falcons, including aplomado falcons, had lower seropositivity rates of 43 to 57%. Falcon species of tropical and/or island origin were uniformly seronegative, although deaths among adults of these species have been described, suggesting they are highly susceptible. Chickens and quail were uniformly seronegative and not susceptible to infection, indicating that fowl were not the source of infection. Based on the information from this study, the primary control of falcon adenovirus infections should be based on segregation of carrier and susceptible falcon species.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040. Phone: (509) 335-6044. Fax: (509) 335-8529. E-mail: loaks{at}vetmed.wsu.edu.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, July 2005, p. 3414-3420, Vol. 43, No. 7
0095-1137/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.43.7.3414-3420.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Schrenzel, M., Snook, E., Gagneux, P. (2007). Molecular assays for detection of falcon adenovirus. jvdi 19: 479-485 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


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