Molecular detection of pigeon circovirus in Iran by the use of PCR

The number of recognised new avian circoviruses are expanding. Pigeon circovirus (PgCV) or coloumbid circovirus (CoCV), along with porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV-1), porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV-2), psittacine beak and feather birds virus (PBFDV), canary circovirus (CaCV), geese circovirus (GCV), duck circovirus (DCV) belong to genus circovirus, family circoviridae. The virus causes immunosuppression in affected disease resulting in concurrent secondary infections leading to death of the infected birds. This paper describe a polymerase chain reaction for molecular detection of pigeon circovirus to provide pigeon industry with a reliable assay for diagnosis of pigeon circovirus infection. The developed PCR assay was successfully applied to three suspicious cases of the disease. This paper is also reporting the first case of pigeon circovirus infection in Iran.

Keywords:

circovirus , coloumbid circovirus , circoviridae , PCR and molecular detection