A CONCURRENT OUTBREAK OF PSITTACINE BEAK AND FEATHER DISEASE VIRUS, AND AVIAN POLYOMAVIRUS INFECTION IN BUDGERIGARS (MELOPSITTACUS-UNDULATUS)

A dual natural infection with psittacine beak and feather disease viru s and budgerigar fledgling disease virus in a breeding aviary of budge rigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) is described. One-hundred per cent of newly-hatched birds were affected and mortality was high (85%). Most surviving birds had diarrhoea, feather alterations and 30% mortality a fter a 5- to 10-week period. Necropsies of 1-week-old and 2-month-old birds demonstrated non-specific lesions, but histologically nuclear in clusions suggestive of viral infection (adenovirus, herpesvirus, polyo mavirus) and also cytoplasmic inclusions suggestive of beak and feathe r disease were seen in integument and internal organs. Staining of tis sues with viral specific DNA probes for psittacine beak and feather di sease virus and for avian polyomavirus demonstrated simultaneous prese nce of viral DNA from both viruses in some birds. This is the first de scription of a concurrent outbreak of psittacine beak and feather dise ase virus and avian polyomavirus infection in a breeding aviary.