Occurrence and Role of Selected RNA-Viruses as Potential Causative Agents of Watery Droppings in Pigeons

Abstract

The diseases with watery droppings (diarrhea and/or polyuria) can be considered some of the most severe health problems in domestic pigeons of various ages. Although they do not always lead to bird death, they can contribute to poor weight gains and hindered development of young pigeons and, potentially, to poor racing results in sports birds. The gastrointestinal tract disorders of pigeons may be of various etiology, but some of the causative agents are viral infections. This review article provides information collected from scientific reports on RNA-viruses belonging to the Astroviridae, Picornaviridae, and Coronaviridae families; the Avulavirinae subfamily; and the Rotavirus genus that might be implicated in such health problems. It presents a brief characterization, and possible interspecies transmission of these viruses. We believe that this review article will help clinical signs of infection, isolation methods, occurrence in pigeons and poultry, systemize and summarize knowledge on pigeon enteropathogenic viruses and raise awareness of the importance of disease control in pigeons.

Keywords: astrovirus; avulavirus; coronavirus; diarrhea; picornavirus; pigeons; rotavirus; watery droppings.

Figure 1

Different types of watery droppings excreted by pigeons: (a) watery droppings with a higher volume of the urinary fraction (polyuria); (b) watery droppings with a normal volume of the urinary fraction (diarrhea); (c) the normal droppings of a healthy pigeon.