Poecivirus discovered in individuals with beak deformities in seven species of North American birds

Avian keratin disorder (AKD) is a disease characterized by debilitating beak overgrowth, often with crossing and marked curvature. These beak deformities make birds unable to properly feed, preen and cope with parasites, which compromises their survival. AKD has increasingly affected wild bird populations worldwide and is typically seen in adult birds.

A wide variety of factors can contribute to beak deformities, but there is still no clear evidence of a concrete underlying etiology for AKD. Previous studies have identified Poecivirus, a novel Picornavirus, as a potential causative agent for AKD in Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus).

The authors of this article describe the material and methods used in the study to investigate whether Poecivirus was present in other species exhibiting clinical signs consistent with AKD. Individuals with deformed beaks were examined and the presence of Poecivirus was tested in beak and cloacal tissue using targeted PCR primers followed by Sanger sequencing.

All samples tested positive (8/8), with Poecivirus affecting six different species. It’s highly suggested that the emergence of beak deformities across species that live in geographical proximity is linked and also has a common etiology. This finding supports the hypothesis that Poecivirus may be involved, although the presence of additional pathogens cannot be ruled out. It also demonstrates that Poecivirus occurs elsewhere in North America. Further investigation in required to explore a strong causal link between this virus and AKD.

Zylberg M., Ven Hemert C., Handel C.M., Liu R.M. and DeRisi J.L. (2021) Poecivirus is present in individuals with beak deformities in seven species of North American birds. Journal of Wildlife Diseases, Vol.57, No.2 https://doi.org/10.7589/JWD-D-20-00017