Newcastle disease (ND) is a devastating disease and cause high t mortality and morbidity in poultry and nonpoultry avian species worldwide. An intensive vaccination program against ND is a routine practice in Pakistan like other developing countries, but still frequent outbreaks have been recorded in the field. In this study, vaccines prepared from ND viruses corresponding to four different genotypes were compared, to determine if the phylogenetic distance between vaccine and challenge strain influences the protection induced the amount of challenge virus shed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHere, we present the draft genome sequences of three sp. strains with multidrug-resistant properties, isolated in 2015 from a pigeon and two chickens in Pakistan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The remarkable diversity and mobility of Newcastle disease viruses (NDV) includes virulent viruses of genotype VI. These viruses are often referred to as pigeon paramyxoviruses 1 because they are normally isolated and cause clinical disease in birds from the Columbidae family. Genotype VI viruses occasionally infect, and may also cause clinical disease in poultry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVirulent viruses of the panzootic Avian avulavirus 1 (AAvV-1) of sub-genotype VIIi were repeatedly isolated (2011-2016) from commercial chickens and from multiple non-poultry avian species in Pakistan. These findings provide evidence for the existence of epidemiological links between Newcastle disease outbreaks in commercial poultry and infections with virulent AAvV-1 strains in other avian species kept in proximity to poultry. Our results suggest that the endemicity of Newcastle disease in Pakistan involves multiple hosts and environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows ultra-deep sequencing of nucleic acids. The use of sequence-independent amplification of viral nucleic acids without utilization of target-specific primers provides advantages over traditional sequencing methods and allows detection of unsuspected variants and co-infecting agents. However, NGS is not widely used for small RNA viruses because of incorrectly perceived cost estimates and inefficient utilization of freely available bioinformatics tools.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe complete genome sequence of a virulent Newcastle disease virus (vNDV) strain isolated from an exotic parakeet () is described here. The virulent strain parakeet/Pak/R-Pindi/SFR-16/2016 was isolated from a bird reared as a pet in the province of Punjab in the northern region of Pakistan in 2016. Phylogenetic analysis classified the isolate as a member of NDV class II, subgenotype VIIi, in genotype VII.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTwo complete genome sequences of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are described here. Virulent isolates pigeon/Pakistan/Lahore/21A/2015 and pigeon/Pakistan/Lahore/25A/2015 were obtained from racing pigeons sampled in the Pakistani province of Punjab during 2015. Phylogenetic analysis of the fusion protein genes and complete genomes classified the isolates as members of NDV class II, genotype VI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHere, we report the complete genome sequence of a virulent Newcastle disease virus (vNDV) strain, duck/Pakistan/Lahore/AW-123/2015, isolated from apparently healthy laying ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus) from the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The virus has a genome length of 15,192 nucleotides and is classified as member of subgenotype VIIi, class II.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSignificant economic losses from deaths and decreased egg production have resulted from H9N2 low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) infections in poultry across North Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The H9N2 LPAIVs have been endemic in Pakistani poultry since 1996, but no new viruses have been reported since 2010. Because novel genotypes of Pakistani H9N2 contain mammalian host-specific markers, recent surveillance is essential to better understand any continuing public health risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIncreasing incidence rate of multiple drug resistance in Escherichia coli (E. coli) due to extensive uses of antibiotics is a serious challenge to disease treatment. Contaminated retail chicken meat is one of the major sources of spread of multi drug resistant (MDR) E.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genome sequence of a new strain of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) (chicken/Pak/Quality Operations Lab/SFR-611/13) is reported here. The strain was isolated from a vaccinated chicken flock in Pakistan in 2013 and has panzootic features. The genome is 15,192 nucleotides in length and is classified in subgenotype VIIi of genotype VII, class II.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne year after a virulent Newcastle disease virus (vNDV) outbreak in Pakistan, the causative strain was present in vaccinated chickens of multiple farms despite the existence of high-average NDV-specific antibody titers (>4.75 log2). The data suggest a possible role of vaccinated birds as reservoirs of vNDV.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVirulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates from new sub-genotypes within genotype VII are rapidly spreading through Asia and the Middle East causing outbreaks of Newcastle disease (ND) characterized by significant illness and mortality in poultry, suggesting the existence of a fifth panzootic. These viruses, which belong to the new sub-genotypes VIIh and VIIi, have epizootic characteristics and do not appear to have originated directly from other genotype VII NDV isolates that are currently circulating elsewhere, but are related to the present and past Indonesian NDV viruses isolated from wild birds since the 80s. Viruses from sub-genotype VIIh were isolated in Indonesia (2009-2010), Malaysia (2011), China (2011), and Cambodia (2011-2012) and are closely related to the Indonesian NDV isolated in 2007, APMV1/Chicken/Karangasem, Indonesia (Bali-01)/2007.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNine avian influenza viruses (AIV), H5N1 subtype, were isolated from dead poultry in the Karachi region of Pakistan from 2006 to 2008. The intravenous pathogenicity indices and HA protein cleavage sites of all nine viruses were consistent with highly pathogenic AIV. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the HA genes, these isolates belong to clade 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEight Newcastle disease virus isolates from Pakistan were sequenced and characterized. A PCR matrix gene assay, designed to detect all avian paramyxovirus 1, did not detect four of the isolates. A new matrix gene test that detected all isolates was developed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RT-PCR/RFLP) technique was used to identify and characterize Pakistani field isolates of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). These isolates have caused heavy losses to the poultry industry (mortality up to 60%) during the period between 1999 and 2005. Ten samples (five local isolates and five commercial vaccines) were examined for IBDV.
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