A Novel Dependoparvovirus Identified in Cloacal Swabs of Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) from Urban Areas of Spain

Abstract

The introduction of invasive birds into new ecosystems frequently has negative consequences for the resident populations. Accordingly, the increasing population of monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) in Europe may pose a threat because we have little knowledge of the viruses they can transmit to native naïve species. In this study, we describe a new dependoparvovirus detected by metagenomic analysis of cloacal samples from 28 apparently healthy individuals captured in urban areas of Madrid, Spain. The genomic characterization revealed that the genome encoded the NS and VP proteins typical of parvoviruses and was flanked by inverted terminal repeats. No recombination signal was detected. The phylogenetic analysis showed that it was closely related to a parvovirus isolated in a wild psittacid in China. Both viruses share 80% Rep protein sequence identity and only 64% with other dependoparvoviruses identified in Passeriformes, Anseriformes, and Piciformes and are included in a highly supported clade, which could be considered a new species. The prevalence was very low, and none of the additional 73 individuals tested positive by PCR. These results highlight the importance of exploring the viral genome in invasive species to prevent the emergence of novel viral pathogenic species.

Keywords: dependoparvovirus; invasive species; metagenomics; phylogenetics; psittacid.

Figure 1

Inverted terminal repeats of the 5′ (A) and 3′ (B) termini of Sp_PsDPV. The Rep Binding Element (RBE) and the Terminal Resolution Site (trs) are enclosed in boxes.

Figure 2

Genomic organization of Anseriform Dependoparvovirus 1 (25749), Avian Dependoparvovirus 1 (AY186198), and the dependoparvoviruses isolated from Psittacidae (Sp_PsDPV and Ch_PsDPV). The numbers shown under the bars that represent the genomes correspond to the nt position. The promoters of Ch_PsDPV were named P_A∼P₁₉ (Promoter A, such as P₁₉) and P_B∼P₄₀ (Promoter B, such as P₄₀).

Figure 3

Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic inference of 92 Rep protein sequences of avian parvoviruses. The tree was inferred under a Q.pfam+R+F amino acid substitution model with nodal support values based on 1000 bootstrap replicates. The color code for the subfamilies, genera, and species used in the vertical bars to the right of the names of the species in the tree is indicated in the legend on the right. Representative sequences of avian parvovirus species are highlighted in bold, and the dependoparvoviruses from Psittacidae are highlighted in red. Only the support values above 98 are displayed.