Detection and Genetic Characterization of an Avipox Virus Isolate from Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia domestica) in Morogoro Region, Eastern Tanzania

Aim: To determine molecular and evolutionary characteristics of a newly isolated Tanzanian isolate of pigeonpox virus (PGPV).

Study Design: Experimental.

Place and Duration of Study: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania; between November 2011 and May 2014.

Methodology: Samples of cutaneous nodular lesions were collected from 17 pigeons suspected to have pigeonpox in Morogoro (n = 11), Pwani (n = 2) and Dar es Salaam (n = 4) regions; followed by virus isolation, and confirmation by amplification and sequencing of P4b gene. Further the sequence was phylogenetically analyzed for its evolutionary relationship with other related viruses.

Results: PGPV was detected in two samples, both from Morogoro region. Sequence analysis revealed that the Tanzanian PGPV isolate derived in this study was 90 – 99% identical to several avipoxvirus isolates from birds belonging to different species from several countries; for instance the Tanzanian PGPV isolate was 91% identical to each of the Tanzanian fowlpox virus isolates derived in the previous study, and 99% identical to all three PGPV isolates whose sequences were obtained in the GenBank i.e PGPV isolates from India (accession number DQ873811), Egypt (accession number JQ665840) and a PGPV (accession number AY530303) whose country of origin is unknown. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Tanzanian PGPV isolate belongs to clade A in subclade A2, sharing a recent common ancestor with members of subclade A3.

Conclusion: Currently, pigeonpox virus is circulating in Morogoro region. The present study warrants the further surveillance/ molecular epidemiology of PGPV in Tanzania in a large-scale.