Investigation into the seroprevalence of falcon herpesvirus antibodies in raptors in the UK using virus neutralization tests and different herpesvirus isolates

• Published in: Avian pathology 2004-12, Vol.33 (6), p.599-604
• Main Authors: Zsivanovits, P, Forbes, N.A, Zvonar, L.T, Williams, M.R, Lierz, M, Prusas, C, Hafez, M.M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accipitridae; animal age; Animals; Antibodies, Viral - blood; bird diseases; Bird Diseases - epidemiology; Bird Diseases - virology; Birds; birds of prey; disease prevalence; domestic animals; epidemiological studies; Falconid herpesvirus-1; Falconidae; Herpes viruses; Herpesviridae; Herpesviridae Infections - epidemiology; Herpesviridae Infections - veterinary; Herpesvirus; Immunoglobulins; Infections; neutralization tests; Neutralization Tests - veterinary; Raptors - virology; Seroepidemiologic Studies; seroprevalence; serotypes; Strigid herpesvirus-1; United Kingdom - epidemiology; viral diseases of animals and humans; wild birds; wildlife management
• ISSN: 0307-9457; 1465-3338
• DOI: 10.1080/03079450400013113

Increasing numbers of reports of clinical falcon herpesvirus infection (Falconid herpesvirus-1; FHV-1) have been seen in the UK since 1996. The aim of this epidemiological study was to investigate the seroprevalence of FHV-1 and owl herpesvirus (Strigid herpesvirus-1; StHV-1) infection in the UK, using virus neutralization tests, and to evaluate the prevalence of herpesvirus infection in captive and wild raptor populations. The results, using the English FHV-1 CVL 32/93 isolate, revealed a seroprevalence of 3.97% (10/252). The seroprevalence for StHV-1 was 12.3% (8/65). Analysis of the data by captivity status, age and species revealed that the family Falconidae showed the highest seroprevalence with 6.7% (5/75), while only one of 104 captive Accipitridae was positive for FHV-1 (0.96%). The incidence of FHV-1 neutralizing antibodies in owls was 5.5% (4/73), representing only wild individuals. Eighty-nine serum samples were additionally tested using two other FHV-1 isolates, the German isolate Merlin 1869/92 and the Dutch isolate Peregrine Z100. The seroprevalences of FHV-1 were 28.1% (25/89) and 32.6% (29/89), respectively. All these samples, however, were negative using the CVL 32/92 isolate.