Molecular Characterization of Avian
Metapneumovirus from Guinea Fowls (Numida
meleagridis)
Mattia Cecchinato1, Caterina Lupini2*,
Flavio Silveira2, Valeria Listorti2, Giulia
Mescolini2,Emilio Morandini3,
Giovanni Franzo1 and Elena Catelli2
1Department
of Animal Medicine, Production and Health (MAPS), Padua University,
Agripolis - Viale dell'Università, 16 - 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy;
2Department
of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di
Sopra, 50 40064 Ozzano dell’Emilia (BO), Italy; 3Field
Veterinary, Pescantina, VR, Italy
*Corresponding author: caterina.lupini@unibo.it
Abstract
In the present study the subtype B aMPV, strain
aMPV/B/IT/GuineaFowl/1818/12, was detected in guinea fowls affected by
respiratory signs, sequenced and molecularly characterized. Comparisons among several F and G gene full
sequences of aMPVs subtype B, showed that no consistent pattern related to
host-tropism could be identified. Moreover, analysis of partial G gene revealed
the perfect identity of the guinea fowl strain with four Italian aMPVs isolated
from turkeys or chickens in a time frame of three years, in the same geographic
area. Phylogenetic analysis of both genes showed an evolutionary trend of
subtype B circulating in Northern Italy from its first appearance in 1987, to
date. The co-presence in the same geographic area of farms housing different
avian species sensitive to aMPV, vaccinated with different vaccination programs
or not vaccinated (like guinea fowls), and often belonging to the same integrate
poultry company, could be a crucial factor for the establishment of an endemic
infection.
To Cite This Article: Cecchinato M, Lupini C, Silveira F, Listorti V,
Mescolini G,Morandini E, Franzo G and Catelli E, 2018. Molecular characterization of avian
metapneumovirus from guinea fowls (Numida
meleagridis). Pak Vet J, 38(4): 419-423. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2018.088