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Zoonotic Infection With Pigeon Paramyxovirus Type 1 Linked to Fatal Pneumonia

Thijs Kuiken1, Mya Breitbart2, Martin Beer3

  • 1Department of Viroscience, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 27, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) can cause fatal respiratory illness in immunocompromised humans, often from contact with infected birds. Increased urbanization may raise the risk of these severe PPMV-1 infections.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Virology
  • Zoonotic Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Human infections with pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) are rare and poorly understood.
  • PPMV-1 is a significant pathogen in avian populations, particularly pigeons and doves.

Observation:

  • Two fatal human cases of PPMV-1 infection occurred in immunosuppressed transplant patients, presenting with severe respiratory failure.
  • Virological and pathological analyses confirmed PPMV-1 in both patients, with virus isolates clustering with known avian strains.

Findings:

  • Pigeons experimentally infected with PPMV-1 transmitted the virus to naive birds, confirming avian transmission cycles.
  • Epidemiological links suggest human infections resulted from direct or indirect contact with infected pigeons or doves.

Implications:

  • The increasing urban pigeon population and rising numbers of immunocompromised individuals may elevate the risk of severe human PPMV-1 infections.
  • Testing for avian paramyxoviruses, including PPMV-1, is recommended for unexplained respiratory cases in at-risk populations.

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