A Survey of Coronaviruses in Birds in Thailand
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/jare-mju.2024.56Keywords:
Birds, Coronaviruses, Deltacoronaviruses, Gammacoronaviruses, ThailandAbstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a global threat to public health, animal health, and wildlife health. They cause emerging infectious diseases and infect multiple hosts. While there have been numerous studies on mammalian coronaviruses, research on CoVs in birds is limited. To bridge this gap, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation conducted a survey in Thailand to investigate CoVs in various bird species. Between October 2020 and September 2022, oral and cloacal swabs were collected from these birds and analyzed in the laboratory using RT-PCR and sequencing to detect and identify CoVs. A total of 530 samples were collected from 24 bird species, including shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds, passerines and doves. Among these, 265 birds were identified, with 41.51% (110/265) being shorebirds, 21.13% (56/265) waterfowl, 20.38% (54/265) passerines, 10.19% (27/265) doves, and 6.79% (18/265) wading birds. The positive rate of CoVs was found to be 6.03% (16/265). These positive samples were classified as gammacoronaviruses, with 6.52% (3/46) detected in Lesser Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna javanica) and 2.63% (1/38) in Whiskered Tern (Chlidonias hybrida). Deltacoronaviruses were identified in 100% (6/6) of Eastern Cattle Egret (Bubulcus coromandus), 33.33% (2/6) of Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis), 28.57% (2/7) of Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), 9.09% (1/11) Rock Pigeon (Columba livia), and 6.66% (2/30) of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). It is worth noting that all positive birds appeared to be healthy. The genetic characteristics of these CoVs were similar to those found in similar bird species in other regions. Although there were no reports of abnormal sickness or mortality events among birds in the study areas, the results suggest the circulation of these viruses in local birds and their potential role in maintaining the viral transmission cycle in the region. To gain a better understanding of the epidemiology of CoVs in birds and to monitor the viral transmission cycle in the region, continuous surveillance of CoVs in migratory birds should be conducted.
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