Experimental Usutu Virus Infection in Domestic Canaries Serinus canaria

Viruses

Mutien-Marie Garigliany¹  José Rivas¹  Mathieu Franssen¹  Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit¹  Alessio Lorusso¹  Daniel Desmecht²  Anne-Sophie Van Laere²  Michaël Sarlet²  Emna Benzarti²  Giovanni Savini² 

[1] Health (FARAH), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000 Liège, Belgium;;Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals &

关键词: domestic canaries;    usutu virus;    experimental infection;   

DOI  :  10.3390/v12020164

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Usutu virus (USUV) is a neurotropic flavivirus closely related to West Nile virus (WNV). Its enzootic cycle mainly involves mosquitoes and birds. Human infection can occur with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. Since its emergence and spread in Europe over the last two decades, USUV has been linked to significant avian outbreaks, especially among Passeriformes, including European blackbirds (Turdus merula). Strikingly, no in vivo avian model exists so far to study this arbovirus. The domestic canary (Serinus canaria) is a passerine, which is considered as a highly susceptible model of infection by WNV. Here, we experimentally challenged domestic canaries with two different doses of USUV. All inoculated birds presented detectable amounts of viral RNA in the blood and RNA shedding via feathers and droppings during the early stages of the infection, as determined by RT-qPCR. Mortality occurred in both infected groups (1/5 and 2/5, respectively) and was not necessarily correlated to a pure neurological disease. Subsequent analyses of samples from dead birds showed histopathological changes and virus tropism mimicking those reported in naturally infected birds. A robust seroconversion followed the infection in almost all the surviving canaries. Altogether, these results demonstrate that domestic canaries constitute an interesting experimental model for the study of USUV pathogenesis and transmission.

【 授权许可】

Unknown