A SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR AVIAN POLYOMAVIRUS AND PACHECOS-DISEASE VIRUS IN AUSTRALIAN COCKATOOS

Sera collected from wild and captive Australian cockatoos and other ps ittacine species (n = 411) were tested for antibodies to avian polyoma virus (APV) and Pacheco's disease virus (PDV), Of 144 wild sulphur-cre sted cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) sampled at three regions in New Sout h Wales (NSW) 96 (64.4%) birds had positive (greater than or equal to 1:32) neutralizing antibody titres to avian polyomavirus (range 1:32-1 :2048). Two of 17 wild long-billed corellas (Cacatua tenuirostris) wer e also APV-antibody positive. However, no samples from 107 wild galahs (Eolophus roseicapillus) were positive for neutralizing antibody to A PV, Sera were also collected from captive psittacine bird flocks from NSW, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. In a mixed aviary of c ockatoos and lorikeets, APV antibody was detected in sera from sulphur -crested cockatoos, Major Mitchell's cockatoos (Cacatua leadbeateri), a white-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii latirostris), a red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus magnificus) a single gala h, a rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglossus; haematodus), and a scaley-breast ed lorikeet (Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus), All 411 wild and captive birds were negative for the presence of neutralizing antibody to PDV, These results indicate that wild sulphur-crested cockatoos in NSW are enzootically infected with avian polyomavirus and that the sampled pop ulations are free of Pacheco's disease.