To expand the epidemiological understanding of Newcastle disease in Jeju Province, Korea, active surveillance was extensively performed through a virological examination for poultry farms and wild birds in Jeju Province during 2007~2008. Samples (swabs or fresh feces) were collected from a total of 6,485 birds including 6,405 domestic birds (chickens, ducks, pheasants, geese, quails, turkeys, and ostriches) and 80 wild birds. A total of 24 hemagglutinating agents were isolated from domestic birds on fourteen farms including five Korean native chicken, one layer chicken, two broiler chicken, four duck and two pheasant farms. The hemagglutinating agents were all identified as lentogenic NDV based on the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, sequence analysis of amino acids on the F cleavage site and mean death time in chicken embryos. The F gene-based phylogenetic analysis revealed that the NDV isolates were classified into genotypes 1 or 2 of class II. These lentogenic viruses were closely related to NDV vaccine strains used in Jeju Province. Active surveillance conducted for Newcastle disease indicates no scientific evidence of virulent NDV infection in chickens in Jeju Province, Korea since 2005.
Amino Acids ; Animals ; Birds ; Chickens ; Ducks ; Embryonic Structures ; Geese ; Genotype ; Korea ; Newcastle Disease ; Newcastle disease virus ; Poultry ; Quail ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Analysis ; Turkeys

PURPOSE: Birds' eggs have been a major source of food for mankind since the time unknown. Among them, chicken eggs have been the most important food source. We examined the allergenic properties of eggs from varying birds on patients with known allergy to chicken eggs, to find out whether they can replace the chicken eggs for the source of nutrient. METHODS: Samples were selected from patients who visited the allergy clinic of the Department of Pediatrics at Yonsei University Medical Center. The serum specific IgE for eggs were measured and allergy skin tests were performed. The serum of the patients with proven egg allergy was then tested for reactivity with eggs from wild and domestic ducks, geese, seagulls, quails, yellow-shelled and white-shelled eggs employing SDS-PAGE and IgE immunoblotting. RESULTS: All the egg protein showed similar molecular sizes ranging from 24-100 kDa. Their expressions, however, were different, with white eggs, yellow eggs, and quail eggs showing strong reaction, while ducks, geese, and mallard eggs presented with weak reaction. Immunoblotting exhibited reactivity in 35-50 kDa and 25-35 kDa groups. Quail eggs and shells from chicken eggs showed a protein banding of 75-80 kDa. Geese, wild and domestic ducks, quail did not exhibit any cross-reactivity with chicken eggs. CONCLUSION: Among patients with egg allergy, cross-reactivity between different chicken eggs was present, but no cross-reactivity was apparent between chicken eggs and other birds' eggs. Therefore, we suggest theses eggs as alternative source of food in patients with egg allergy. However further study with larger patient population is still required.
Academic Medical Centers ; Animals, Domestic ; Birds* ; Chickens ; Child* ; Ducks* ; Egg Hypersensitivity* ; Eggs ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Geese ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Immunoblotting ; Immunoglobulin E ; Ovum* ; Pediatrics ; Quail ; Skin Tests

Three Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strains recovered from ND outbreaks in chickens and duck flocks in north china during 2009 to 2011 were completely sequenced and biologically characterized. All the strains were velogenic and had the velogenic motif 112R-R-Q-K-R-F117 which was consistent with the results of biological tests. Analysis of the variable region (nucleotide 47 to 420) of the F gene indicated that the three isolates belonged to genotype VII d. Cross hemagglutination inhibition test indicated that the antigen homology between three isolates and LaSota were 82.5%-89.4%, the homology between the two isolates from chicken was 90%. A cross-protection experiment in which specific-pathogen-free chickens vaccinated with LaSota were challenged by SDLY01 isolate showed that LaSota vaccine could provide complete protection against SDLY01, however virus discharge could be detected on fifth day. Challenge experiment in which Cherry Valley duck of 30 day old challenged with SD03 strain indicated that cherry valley duck had no disease in experiment period, but virus discharge could be detected from Larynx and cloaca until fifth day. Genome length of three NDV isolates was 15192bp and belonged to genotype VII d. Sequence analysis clarified that the whole genomic sequence of these three isolates shared high homology with NDV virus strains isolated from goose and duck over the same period, which elucidated that NDV isolated from goose, duck or chicken had close genetics and epidemiological relationship.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Bird Diseases ; virology ; Chickens ; Columbidae ; Ducks ; Geese ; Genome, Viral ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Newcastle Disease ; virology ; Newcastle disease virus ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Phylogeny ; Sequence Alignment ; Viral Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics

Avian influenza viruses (AIV) have been isolated from a wide range of domestic and wild birds. Wild birds, predominantly ducks, geese and gulls form the reservoir of AIV in nature. The viruses in wild bird populations are a potential source of widespread infections in poultry. Active surveillance for AIV infection provides information regarding AIV distribution, and global AIV surveillance can play a key role in the early recognition of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). Since 2003 in Korea, there have been four H5N1 HPAI outbreaks caused by clade 2.5, 2.2 and 2.3.2. Therefore, improvement of AIV surveillance strategy is required to detect HPAI viruses effectively. This article deals with the major events establishing the role of wild birds in the natural history of influenza in Korea. We highlighted the need for continuous surveillance in wild birds and characterization of these viruses to understand AIV epidemiology and host ecology in Korea.
Animals ; Birds* ; Charadriiformes ; Disease Outbreaks ; Ducks ; Ecology ; Epidemiology ; Geese ; Influenza in Birds* ; Influenza, Human ; Korea* ; Natural History ; Poultry ; Viruses*

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is an avian retrovirus that can induce myelocytomas. A high-frequency mutation in gene envelope endows ALV-J with the potential for cross-species transmission. We wished to ascertain if the ALV-J can spread across species under selection pressure in susceptible and resistant hosts. First, we inoculated (in turn) two susceptible host birds (specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens and turkeys). Then, we inoculated three resistant hosts (pheasants, quails and ducks) to detect the viral shedding, pathologic changes, and genetic evolution of different isolates. We found that pheasants and quails were infected under the selective pressure that accumulates stepwise in different hosts, and that ducks were not infected. Infection rates for SPF chickens and turkeys were 100% (16/16), whereas those for pheasants and quails were 37.5% (6/16) and 11.1% (3/27). Infected hosts showed immune tolerance, and inflammation and tissue damage could be seen in the liver, spleen, kidneys and cardiovascular system. Non-synonymous mutation and synonymous ratio (NS/S) analyses revealed the NS/S in hypervariable region (hr) 2 of pheasants and quails was 2.5. That finding suggested that mutation of isolates in pheasants and quails was induced by selective pressure from the resistant host, and that the hr2 region is a critical domain in cross-species transmission of ALV-J. Sequencing showed that ALV-J isolates from turkeys, pheasants and quails had moved away from the original virus, and were closer to the ALV-J prototype strain HPRS-103. However, the HPRS-103 strain cannot infect pheasants and quails, so further studies are needed.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Avian Leukosis ; transmission ; virology ; Avian Leukosis Virus ; classification ; genetics ; physiology ; Chickens ; Ducks ; virology ; Galliformes ; virology ; Host Specificity ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Poultry Diseases ; transmission ; virology ; Quail ; virology ; Sequence Alignment ; Turkeys ; virology ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism

The subtype H9N2 avian influenza virus greatly threatens the Chinese poultry industry, even with annual vaccination. Waterfowl can be asymptomatically infected with the H9N2 virus. In this study, three H9N2 virus strains, designated A/Goose/Jiangsu/YZ527/2011 (H9N2, Gs/JS/YZ527/11), A/Goose/Jiangsu/SQ119/2012 (H9N2, Gs/JS/SQ119/12), and A/Goose/Jiangsu/JD564/2012 (H9N2, Gs/JS/JD564/12), were isolated from domestic geese. Molecular characterization of the three isolates showed that the Gs/JS/YZ527/11 virus is a double-reassortant virus, combining genes of A/Quail/Hong Kong/G1/97 (H9N2, G1/97)-like and A/Chicken/Shanghai/F/98 (H9N2, F/98)-like; the Gs/JS/SQ119/12 virus is a triple-reassortant virus combining genes of G1/97-like, F/98-like, and A/Duck/Shantou/163/2004 (H9N2, ST/163/04)-like. The sequences of Gs/JS/JD564/12 share high homology with those of the F/98 virus, except for the neuraminidase gene, whereas the internal genes of Gs/JS/YZ527/11 and Gs/JS/SQ119/12 are closely related to those of the H7N9 viruses. An infectivity analysis of the three isolates showed that Gs/JS/SQ119/12 and Gs/JS/YZ527/11 replicated well, with seroconversion, in geese and chickens, the Gs/JS/JD564/12 did not infect well in geese or chickens, and the F/98 virus only infected chickens, with seroconversion. Emergence of these new reassortant H9N2 avian influenza viruses indicates that these viruses can infect both chicken and goose and can produce different types of lesions in each species.
Animals ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chickens ; Geese ; Humans ; Influenza A Virus, H7N9 Subtype ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; Influenza in Birds ; Neuraminidase ; Population Characteristics ; Poultry ; Sequence Analysis ; Seroconversion ; Vaccination

Cryptosporidium is the most common protozoan that can infect a wide range of animals, including mammals and birds. Avian Cryptosporidium spp. can cause enteric and respiratory diseases which can be fatal in birds and some species are zoonotic. Companion birds have the potential as reservoir due to their close contact with humans. Pet shops are the major source of companion birds. However, few reports are available regarding Cryptosporidium spp. infection among companion birds kept in pet shops. The present study reports the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Cryptosporidium spp. among companion birds kept in pet shops in Japan. A total of 265 fresh fecal samples were obtained from birds kept in 4 pet shops; these birds belonged to 41 species in 3 bird orders. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the small subunit rRNA gene was employed for the detection of Cryptosporidium spp. A total of 24 samples (9.1%) were positive, and Cryptosporidium spp. were detected from all pet shops. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in each of the bird orders was 6.5% (10/153) in Psittaciformes, 14.4% (13/90) in Passeriformes, and 4.5% (1/22) in Galliformes. Based on sequence analysis, 13 (54.2%) isolates were classified to C. galli, 8 (33.3%) were avian genotype III, and the remaining 3 (12.5%) were C. baileyi. No infection with zoonotic C. meleagridis and no coinfection with multiple Cryptosporidium spp. and/or genotypes were observed. The zoonotic potential of Cryptosporidium spp. infecting companion birds kept in pet shops in Japan is likely to be low.
Animals ; Birds ; Coinfection ; Cryptosporidium ; Friends ; Galliformes ; Genes, rRNA ; Genotype ; Humans ; Japan ; Mammals ; Passeriformes ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Pregnancy ; Prevalence ; Psittaciformes ; Sequence Analysis

The prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in birds has epidemiological significance because birds are indeed considered as a good indicator of environmental contamination by T. gondii oocysts. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii in 313 house sparrows in Lanzhou, northwestern China was assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were positive in 39 (12.46%) of 313 samples (MAT titer > or = 1:5). Tissues of heart, brain, and lung from the 39 seropositive house sparrows were tested for T. gondii DNA, 11 of which were found to be positive for the T. gondii B1 gene by PCR amplification. These positive DNA samples were typed at 9 genetic markers, including 8 nuclear loci, i.e., SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8 and an apicoplast locus Apico. Of them, 4 isolates were genotyped with complete data for all loci, and 2 genotypes (Type II variants; ToxoDB #3 and a new genotype) were identified. These results showed that there is a potential risk for human infection with T. gondii in this region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. gondii seroprevalence in house sparrows in China.
Animals ; Bird Diseases/epidemiology/*parasitology ; China/epidemiology ; Genotype ; Seroepidemiologic Studies ; *Sparrows ; Toxoplasma/*genetics/isolation & purification ; Toxoplasmosis, Animal/epidemiology/*parasitology

Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- was a monophasic variant of Salmonella (S.) Typhimurium and notorious for re-emerging candidate which would replace S. Typhimurium DT104 for antibiotic resistance. Recently, isolation rate was increased on human and industrial animals but there was no case in domestic animals but human in Korea. This was first isolation case from domestic animals in Korea. The five isolates from feces of duck (n = 3), chicken (n = 1), and wild bird (n = 1) showed antibiotic resistance against cephems and aminoglycosides. These means that the spread of emerging bacterial pathogens to domestic animals and the need of systemic management for Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:-.
Aminoglycosides ; Animals ; Animals, Domestic ; Birds ; Chickens ; Drug Resistance, Microbial ; Ducks ; Feces ; Humans ; Korea ; Poultry ; Salmonella

A quail-origin subtype of the influenza virus was isolated from a human-infecting H7N9 subtype of the avian influenza virus found in a live poultry market and was given the name A/Quail/Hangzhou/1/ 2013 (H9N2). We analyzed the whole genome of this virus and its biologic characteristics. Sequence analyses suggested that the: HA and NS genes belonged to a CK/BJ/1/94-like lineage; NA, NP, PA and PB1 genes belonged to a SH/F/98-like lineage; M and PB2 genes belonged to a G1-like lineage. Analyses of key amino acids showed that the cleavage site in HA protein was PSRSSR ↓ GL, and that the HA protein had a human receptor-binding site with Leu226. Deletion of amino acids 69 - 73 was detected in the stalk of NA protein, the M2 protein had an Asn31 mutation, and the NS1 protein had two mutations at Ser42, Ala149. The intravenous pathogenicity of this virus was 0.36. A study in chickens suggested that all inoculated birds shed the virus from the trachea and cloaca on the third day post-infection (p. i. ) until 11 days. All chickens that had direct contact shed the virus on the second day p. i. until 8 days. Results of virus reisolation suggested that lung and tracheal tissues could shed the virus in 5 days, whereas the other organs could shed the virus in 3 days. These results suggest that this virus strain is H9N2 subtype LPAIV, whose lineage is prevalent in mainland China. This research provides evidence on how to monitor and prevent the H9N2 subtype of the avian influenza virus.
Animals ; Chick Embryo ; Chickens ; China ; Genotype ; Influenza A Virus, H9N2 Subtype ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Influenza in Birds ; virology ; Phylogeny ; Quail ; virology