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Updated: Oct 4, 2026

Rapid Diagnosis of Avian Influenza Virus in Wild Birds: Use of a Portable rRT-PCR and Freeze-dried Reagents in the Field
Published on: August 2, 2011
Wild birds as a possible natural reservoir of Borna disease virus
M Berg1, M Johansson, H Montell
1Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala.
Abstract:
The natural reservoir of Borna disease virus (BDV) is unknown. In this paper, we show that mallards (Anas platyrhyncos) and jackdaws (Corvus monedula) can be subclinically infected carriers of this virus. From faecal samples collected at a bird pond, we were able to amplify fragments of the BDV p24 and p40 genes. Following cloning and sequencing, a phylogenetic analysis revealed that these birds carry strains of BDV closely related to but distinct from the reference strains BDV V and He/80. To our knowledge, this is the first confirmed finding of BDV in wild birds.
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