PARTICLES RESEMBLING CIRCOVIRUS IN THE BURSA OF FABRICIUS OF PIGEONS

Histological examination of the bursae from 12 pigeons under 4 months old revealed basophilic globular inclusion bodies, 5 to 25 mum in diameter, in the cytoplasm and the nuclei of the various bursal follicular cells. Electron microscopy of these inclusions revealed large electron-dense areas containing non-enveloped icosahedral viral particles, 14-19 nm in diameter, either loosely arranged or in paracrystalline array. Similar basophilic globular inclusion bodies were seen in the spleen and cecal tonsils of a few pigeons and in the duodenum of one pigeon. There were various degrees of lymphoid depletion in the bursa, spleen, and bone marrow. The morphology of the inclusions in the bursa and size of the viral particles are most consistent with circovirus. Preliminary studies on the bursae of two pigeons were negative for psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) viral antigen and nucleic acid by immunoperoxidase staining, DNA in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction techniques, suggesting that this virus differs from PBFD virus. Most of the pigeons had concurrent infections such as paramyxovirus-1, salmonellosis, herpesvirus, and hepatic and cerebral trichomoniasis associated with adenovirus.