A novel group of avian astroviruses in wild aquatic birds.

Daniel K W Chu (1) , Connie y H Leung (1) , Harsha K K Perera (1) , Erica M Ng (1) , Martin Gilbert (2) , Priscilla H Joyner (2) , Alessandro Grioni (3) , Gary Ades (3) , Yi Guan (1) , Joseph S M Peiris (1, 4) , Leo L M Poon (1)

1 State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Centre for Influenza Research and School of Public Health
2 Wildlife Conservation Society
3 Fauna Conservation Department
4 Centre de recherche Université de Hong-Kong-Pasteur

Using a pan-astrovirus RT-PCR assay, a great diversity of novel avastroviruses was detected from wild bird and poultry samples. Two groups of astroviruses detected from wild birds are genetically related or highly similar to previously known viruses in poultry. Most interestingly, a novel group of astroviruses was detected in wild aquatic birds. Our results also reveal that different groups of astroviruses might have difference host ranges. This study has expanded our understanding regarding avastrovirus ecology.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Microbiology and Parasitology; Virology

Daniel K W Chu, Connie y H Leung, Harsha K K Perera, Erica M Ng, Martin Gilbert, et al.. A novel group of avian astroviruses in wild aquatic birds.. Journal of Virology, 2012, epub ahead of print. ⟨10.1128/JVI.02105-12⟩. ⟨pasteur-00739344⟩