Topics in Medicine and Surgery
Meloxicam Treatment in Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) Infected With Avian Bornavirus

https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jepm.2013.08.014Get rights and content

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of meloxicam in the treatment of proventricular dilatation disease induced by challenge with avian bornavirus (ABV), strain M24. Three groups of 4 cockatiels were employed. Group 1 was challenged with ABV alone, group 2 was challenged with ABV and 20 days later began daily oral meloxicam treatment, and group 3 received daily oral meloxicam alone. All birds in groups 1 and 3 remained in apparent good health and maintained their weight until being euthanized on day 150 after challenge (group 1) or day 130 of treatment (group 3). In contrast, group 2 birds died or were euthanized on or before day 98 because of severe weight loss and depression. Necropsy and histopathology results indicated that all birds in group 2 had pathologic evidence of proventricular dilatation disease. ABV was detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing in all the major organs of the group 2 birds. The proventriculus was enlarged in 2 birds in group 1, and 75% of the birds in this group had ABV detectable in all their major organs. No significant lesions were observed in group 3 birds.

Section snippets

Birds

Twelve adult cockatiels originating from a single aviary were used for this study. Birds were numbered and assigned randomly as captured to treatment groups 1 and 2. The 4 birds assigned to group 3 were randomly selected from a subset of this flock later.

ABV Challenge

Birds in groups 1 and 2 were inoculated with the M24 strain of ABV genotype 4, previously shown to induce PDD in cockatiels. All birds were weighed and then inoculated with 8 × 104 fluorescent focus-forming units of ABV4 (M24) on day 1 by both

Group 1: Untreated, ABV-Challenged Controls

All group 1 birds (band numbers 147, 008, 007, and 111) survived until day 150 after challenge, when they were euthanized. Their average weight at the initiation of treatment was 106.25 g, whereas at the time of euthanasia their average weight was 95 g.

One bird (#147) had ABV detectable by RT-PCR in every organ tested. Chronic hepatopathy was observed on histopathology, but no other significant lesions were observed on necropsy. Bird #008 had low levels of virus as detected by RT-PCR in the

Discussion

This study demonstrated that 4 cockatiels experimentally infected with ABV and, subsequently treated with meloxicam, underwent severe clinical deterioration, weight loss, and died between days 60 and 118 after challenge. Necropsy results suggested that the predominant cause of death was clinical disease consistent with PDD. In contrast, birds that received either challenge ABV alone or meloxicam alone remained clinically healthy until euthanized at the end of the study. It appears that

References (16)

  • A.Y. Gancz et al.

    Advanced diagnostic approaches and current management of proventricular dilatation disease

    Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract

    (2010)
  • V.S. Moses et al.

    Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

    Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract

    (2002)
  • T.P. Clark

    The clinical pharmacology of cyclooxygenase-2-selective and dual inhibitors

    Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract

    (2006)
  • A.L. Kistler et al.

    Recovery of divergent avian bornaviruses from cases of proventricular dilatation disease: identification of a candidate etiologic agent

    Virol J

    (2008)
  • K.S. Honkavuori et al.

    Novel borna virus in psittacine birds with proventricular dilatation disease

    Emerg Infect Dis

    (2008)
  • A.Y. Gancz et al.

    Experimental induction of proventricular dilatation disease in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) inoculated with brain homogenates containing avian bornavirus 4

    Virol J

    (2009)
  • P.L. Gray et al.

    Isolation and growth of avian bornavirus from psittacine birds with proventricular dilatation disease

    Emerg Infect Dis

    (2010)
  • J. Guo et al.

    Widespread avian bornavirus infection in mute swans in the Northeast United States

    Vet Med Res Rep

    (2012)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

View full text
Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.