Rotavirus research in Amazon wild birds kept in captivity in the state of Pará, Brazi

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Luz M.A., Bezerra D.A., Silva R.R., Guerreiro A.N., Seixas L.S., Bastos R.K.G., Mascarenhas J. D’Arc P., Moraes C.C.G., Souza N.F. & Meneses A.M.C. [Rotavirus research in Amazon wild birds kept in captivity in the state of Pará, Brazil.] Pesquisa de rotavírus em aves silvestres da região amazônica mantidas em cativeiro no estado do Pará, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 36(2):167-173, 2014. Instituto da Saúde e Produção animal na Amazônia, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Avenida Presidente Tancredo Neves, 2501, Montese, Belém, PA 66077-901, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] This study aimed to investigate rotavirus in wild birds kept in captivity at Pará State, to detect and characterize the electropherotypes groups of circulating rotaviruses and investigate A and D rotavirus groups presence in fecal specimens of these birds. Fecal samples were collected at Fazenda Paricuiã (Terra Alta / PA, Brazil), in Jardim Zoobotânico da Amazônia Bosque Rodrigues Alves, Parque Ecológico Mangal das Garças, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG) and Bioparque Amazônia Crocodilo Safari in Belém/Pará/Brazil, between March 2011 and February 2012. Were collected fecal samples from 83 birds belonging to the orders: Psittaciformes (Family Psittacidae), Ciconiformes (Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae families) and Falconiformes (Family Accipitridae). Fecal suspensions were prepared from samples collected, with subsequent extraction of viral dsRNA, which was subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed with specific primers for amplification of NSP4 gene of A rotavirus and VP6 gene of D rotavirus. All samples were negative by both EGPA and by RT-PCR, requiring, however, further studies aimed in wild birds kept in captivity to determine the role of these species in the rotavirus epidemiology.