Ocorrência e caracterização molecular de alfaherpesvírus em psitacídeos no estado de Mato Grosso

Abstract

The Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily belongs to the Herpesviridae family, and its viruses are characterized by rapid viral replication and the ability to establish latent infection in host cells. These viruses are responsible for important avian diseases, such as Marek's disease, infectious laryngotracheitis, and Pacheco's disease in psittacine birds. In Brazilian avifauna, especially the Psittacidae family (psittacine birds), health problems are frequently observed due to stress from deforestation and animal trafficking, factors that aggravate infectious diseases, such as those caused by herpesviruses. Due to the scarcity of infection data, the objective of this study was to detect the presence of alphaherpesviruses in psittacine birds using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique, correlating the results with phylogenetic analysis, with emphasis on the Psittacid Herpesvirus, which presents greater susceptibility in this group of birds. The biological samples were from birds from IBAMA, SEMA and CEMPAS, sent to the UFMT Veterinary Hospital (HOVET) between 2019 and 2024. The samples positive in the PCR, which detected a 264 bp fragment of the UL30 gene, were subjected to sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 131 samples were analyzed, including liver material, cloacal swabs and blood, from captive and free-ranging birds. Twelve (9.16%) samples were positive in the PCR, with the swab being the material with the highest number of positives for viral detection, followed by the liver, while blood proved to be the least effective for this research. A sample from Amazona aestiva positive for Alfaherpesvirus showed 79.77% similarity to Herpesvirus eupittula, suggesting the mobility of this virus in studies on infections in these birds. A positive Ara ararauna sample also showed 97.65% identity with Meleagrid herpesvirus 1. Both results demonstrate the occurrence of the spillover phenomenon in the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. Therefore, a low occurrence of alphaherpesvirus was detected in psittacines in Mato Grosso and a phylogenetic correlation was identified between the samples, indicating a possible genetic diversity of the virus not recorded in previous studies.