Biomedical Sciences & Molecular Biology, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Aust Vet J. 2024 Nov;102(11):570-575. doi: 10.1111/avj.13378. Epub 2024 Oct 4.
Detecting pathogens in endangered animal populations is vital for understanding and mitigating threats to their survival. The critically endangered western ground parrot (Pezoporus flaviventris, WGP), with a population as low as 150 individuals in Australia, faces an imminent risk of extinction. Despite this urgency, research on viral pathogens in this species remains limited. This study aimed to identify and characterise viruses present in faecal samples from seven individual WGP using a viral metagenomic approach. Analysis of the sequenced datasets revealed the presence of a novel virus belonging to the Parvoviridae family, named psittaciform chaphamaparvovirus 7 (PsChPV-7). The genome of PsChPV-7 contains typical structural and functional gene sequences found in Parvoviridae but is highly divergent, indicating its classification as a distinct species. Phylogenetic analysis placed PsChPV-7 within a unique sub-clade of the Chaphamaparvovirus genus, suggesting its evolutionary significance as an ancient lineage within this group. These findings may contribute to the development of strategic management and biosecurity plans aimed at conserving this endangered WGP.
检测濒危动物种群中的病原体对于了解和减轻对其生存的威胁至关重要。极度濒危的西部地鹦鹉（Pezoporus flaviventris，WGP）在澳大利亚的数量仅有 150 只左右，面临着即将灭绝的风险。尽管情况紧急，但对该物种病毒病原体的研究仍然有限。本研究旨在使用病毒宏基因组学方法，从 7 只 WGP 的粪便样本中鉴定和描述存在的病毒。对测序数据集的分析揭示了一种属于细小病毒科的新型病毒的存在，命名为鹦鹉查姆帕细小病毒 7（PsChPV-7）。PsChPV-7 的基因组包含细小病毒科中典型的结构和功能基因序列，但高度分化，表明其被分类为一个独特的种。系统进化分析将 PsChPV-7 置于 Chaphamaparvovirus 属的一个独特亚群内，表明其作为该群体中古老谱系的进化意义。这些发现可能有助于制定战略管理和生物安全计划，以保护这种濒危的 WGP。
