An Outbreak in Pigeons Caused by the Subgenotype VI.2.1.2 of Newcastle Disease Virus in Brazil
Luciano M. Thomazelli,
Juliana A. Sinhorini,
Danielle B. L. Oliveira,
Terezinha Knöbl,
Tatiana C. M. Bosqueiro,
Elder Sano,
Gladyston C. V. Costa,
Cairo Monteiro,
Erick G. Dorlass,
Nathalia Utecht,
Guilherme P. Scagion,
Carla Meneguin,
Laura M. N. Silva,
Maria Vitória S. Moraes,
Larissa M. Bueno,
Dilmara Reischak,
Adriano O. T. Carrasco,
Clarice W. Arns,
Helena L. Ferreira,
Edison L. Durigon
Affiliations
Luciano M. Thomazelli
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Juliana A. Sinhorini
Zoonoses Surveillance Division of the Health Surveillance Coordination, Health Department of São Paulo, R. Santa Eulália, 86, São Paulo 02031-020, Brazil
Danielle B. L. Oliveira
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Terezinha Knöbl
Avian Medicine Laboratory, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science School, University of São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Tatiana C. M. Bosqueiro
Zoonoses Surveillance Division of the Health Surveillance Coordination, Health Department of São Paulo, R. Santa Eulália, 86, São Paulo 02031-020, Brazil
Elder Sano
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Gladyston C. V. Costa
Zoonoses Surveillance Division of the Health Surveillance Coordination, Health Department of São Paulo, R. Santa Eulália, 86, São Paulo 02031-020, Brazil
Cairo Monteiro
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Erick G. Dorlass
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Nathalia Utecht
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Guilherme P. Scagion
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Carla Meneguin
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Laura M. N. Silva
Graduate Program in Experimental Epidemiology Applied to Zoonoses, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Maria Vitória S. Moraes
Graduate Program in Experimental Epidemiology Applied to Zoonoses, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Larissa M. Bueno
Department of Veterinary Medicine, FZEA-USP, University of Sao Paulo, Pirassununga 13635-900, Brazil
Dilmara Reischak
Federal Laboratory for Agricultural Defense in Sao Paulo (LFDA-SP), Animal Diagnostics Unit, Rua Raul Ferrari, s/n°, Campinas 13100-105, Brazil
Adriano O. T. Carrasco
Department of Veterinary Medicine, State University of the Midwest, Alameda Élio Antonio Dalla Vecchia, 838, Guarapuava 85040-167, Brazil
Clarice W. Arns
Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas—UNICAMP, P.O. Box 6109, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil
Helena L. Ferreira
Graduate Program in Experimental Epidemiology Applied to Zoonoses, Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-270, Brazil
Edison L. Durigon
Biomedical Science Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Newcastle disease virus (NDV) can infect over 250 bird species with variable pathogenicity; it can also infect humans in rare cases. The present study investigated an outbreak in feral pigeons in São Paulo city, Brazil, in 2019. Affected birds displayed neurological signs, and hemorrhages were observed in different tissues. Histopathology changes with infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells were also found in the brain, kidney, proventriculus, heart, and spleen. NDV staining was detected by immunohistochemistry. Twenty-seven out of thirty-four tested samples (swabs and tissues) were positive for Newcastle disease virus by RT-qPCR test, targeting the M gene. One isolate, obtained from a pool of positive swab samples, was characterized by the intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) and the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests. This isolate had an ICPI of 0.99, confirming a virulent NDV strain. The monoclonal antibody 617/161, which recognizes a distinct epitope in pigeon NDV strains, inhibited the isolate with an HI titer of 512. A complete genome of NDV was obtained using next-generation sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete CDS F gene grouped the detected isolate with other viruses from subgenotype VI.2.1.2, class II, including one previously reported in Southern Brazil in 2014. This study reports a comprehensive characterization of the subgenotype VI.2.1.2, which seems to have been circulating in Brazilian urban areas since 2014. Due to the zoonotic risk of NDV, virus surveillance in feral pigeons should also be systematically performed in urban areas.
