Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) Assistant Agency Director for Microbiology and Research Kiril Dimitrov, DVM, PhD, was part of three groups that recently published journal articles covering avian paramyxoviruses.
Dr. Dimitrov collaborated with experts from Ukraine and USDA to characterize the genetic diversity of Newcastle disease viruses in wild and synanthropic birds in Ukraine. This study highlighted the possible exchange of these NDV strains between wild waterfowl from the Azov-Black Sea region of Ukraine and waterfowl from different continents, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. The full text can be viewed in the Frontiers of Veterinary Science journal.
In another research effort, Dr. Dimitrov collaborated with experts from University of Georgia and reported the identification of novel avian paramyxovirus (APMV) species in wild birds in the US. The study further proposes four additional new APMV species and highlights the need for refinement or expansion of the criteria for Paramyxoviridae species identification. The article can be viewed in the Applied and Environmental Microbiology journal.
The third article covers the characterization of the first introduction of the panzootic genotype VII. 2 virulent Newcastle diseases virus (NDV) in Bangladesh. This study reports the phylogenetic and pathotypic characterization of the strain and documents its re-introduction in poultry in Central Asia. The study further provides viral distribution and epidemiological data that can facilitate the effective control of Newcastle disease. The full text can be viewed in the Viruses journal.
For more information on TVMDL, visit tvmdl.tamu.edu.