POLYOMAVIRUS ENCEPHALOPATHY IN A DUCORPS COCKATOO (CACATUA-DUCORPSII)WITH PSITTACINE BEAK AND FEATHER DISEASE

Necropsy tissues were examined from an adult wild-caught Ducorps' cock atoo (Cacatua ducorpsii) with progressive neurologic signs. Of the tis sue specimens selected for histologic evaluation, only the brain conta ined rare amphophilic, glassy intranuclear inclusions within astrocyte s and some neurons. Astrocyte and neuronal degeneration and necrosis a lso were observed. Scattered astrocytes, with and without discernable inclusions, contained avian polyomavirus (APV) nucleic acid, as determ ined by DNA in situ hybridization. In addition, endothelial cells and intravascular leukocytes contained psittacine beak and feather disease viral nucleic acid, as determined by DNA in situ hybridization, indic ating dual viral infection. Electron microscopic examination of formal in-fixed brain tissue revealed typical intranuclear APV particles in s ome astrocytes. Encephalopathy ultimately was attributed to APV infect ion.