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Q fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, primarily affecting those in close contact with domestic ruminants, the main source of human infection. Coxiella burnetii has also been detected in various wildlife species globally. In Australia, serological and molecular studies have shown exposure to and infection by C. burnetii in macropods, bandicoots, and koalas. However, the extent to which these species contribute to human infection remains unclear. An unpublished public health investigation into a Q fever case in a person involved in koala care could not conclusively link the infection to koalas due to the patient's broad animal exposure. This study aimed to explore the potential role of koalas in transmitting C. burnetii to humans by investigating the presence of C. burnetii DNA in urogenital tract (UGT) swabs from koalas. DNA was extracted from UGT swabs from koalas in three regions in New South Wales, Australia. An optimised multiplex qPCR assay detected C. burnetii DNA in 2 out of 225 samples (0.89%) at approximately 10 genome equivalents per reaction. Both positive samples amplified all three gene targets. MLVA genotyping identified two distinct C. burnetii genotypes previously isolated from Australian Q fever cases. These findings highlight the need for vaccination against Q fever for those in close contact with koalas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous plantar papillomas are a relatively common lesion of wild psittacine birds in Australia. Next-generation sequencing technology was used to investigate the potential aetiologic agent(s) for a plantar cutaneous papilloma in a wild rainbow lorikeet (Trichoglosis moluccanus). In the DNA from this lesion, two novel viral sequences were detected. The first was the partial sequence of a herpesvirus with the proposed name, psittacid alphaherpesvirus 6, from the Mardivirus genus of the family alphaherpesviruses. This represents the first mardivirus to be detected in a psittacine bird, the first mardivirus to be detected in a wild bird in Australia, and the second mardivirus to be found in a biopsy of an avian cutaneous papilloma. The second virus sequence was a complete sequence of a hepadnavirus, proposed as parrot hepatitis B genotype H (PHBV-H). PHBV-H is the first hepadnavirus to be detected in a wild psittacine bird in Australia. Whether other similar viruses are circulating in wild birds in Australia and whether either of these viruses play a role in the development of the plantar papilloma will require testing of biopsies from similar lesions and normal skin from other wild psittacine birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHVs) are important causes of death in both captive and wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Nothing is known about the prevalence of EEHVs in wild or domestic elephants in China. To determine if EEHVs are present in elephants in China, 126 wild elephants from three populations and 202 captive individuals from zoos (n = 155) and the Wild Elephant Valley (n = 47) were screened using semi-nested polymerase chain reaction assays with EEHV-redundant and EEHV1/4/5-specific primers. EEHV1B and EEHV4 were detected in samples from both wild (EEHV1B:8/126; EEHV4:2/126) and captive (EEHV1B:5/155; EEHV4:9/155) elephants, while EEHV1A (six cases) and EEHV5 (one case) were only present in the captive elephants from the Wild Elephant Valley. EEHV1 was detected in blood and trunk and oral swabs; EEHV4 was detected in trunk and oral swabs as well as feces; EEHV5 was found in trunk and oral swabs. No significant age or sex association with EEHV1A, EEHV1B, or EEHV5 positivity was observed. An age association with EEHV4 positivity was found, with all unweaned elephants being EEHV4 positive, but an association with the sex of the elephant was not observed. These findings represent the first documentation of EEHV presence in captive and wild elephants in China. These findings also document EEHV1B and EEHV4 shedding in feces and demonstrate the utility of fecal screening as a tool for investigating EEHV4 infection in wild populations of elephants. It is recommended that EEHV testing be included in surveillance programs for captive and wild elephants in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siadenoviruses have been detected in wild and captive birds worldwide. Only nine siadenoviruses have been fully sequenced; however, partial sequences for 30 others, many of these from wild Australian birds, are also described. Some siadenoviruses, e.g., the turkey siadenovirus A, can cause disease; however, most cause subclinical infections. An example of a siadenovirus causing predominately subclinical infections is psittacine siadenovirus 2, proposed name psittacine siadenovirus F (PsSiAdV-F), which is enzootic in the captive breeding population of the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot (OBP, Neophema chrysogaster). Here, we have fully characterised PsSiAdV-F from an OBP. The PsSiAdV-F genome is 25,392 bp in length and contained 25 putative genes. The genome architecture of PsSiAdV-F exhibited characteristics similar to members within the genus Siadenovirus; however, the novel PsSiAdV-F genome was highly divergent, showing highest and lowest sequence similarity to skua siadenovirus A (57.1%) and psittacine siadenovirus D (31.1%), respectively. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses of the novel PsSiAdV-F genome positioned the virus into a phylogenetically distinct sub-clade with all other siadenoviruses and did not show any obvious close evolutionary relationship. Importantly, the resulted tress continually demonstrated that novel PsSiAdV-F evolved prior to all known members except the frog siadenovirus A in the evolution and possibly the ancestor of the avian siadenoviruses. To date, PsSiAdV-F has not been detected in wild parrots, so further studies screening PsSiAdV-F in wild Australian parrots and generating whole genome sequences of siadenoviruses of Australian native passerine species is recommended to fill the siadenovirus evolutionary gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne zoonotic diseases, several of which occur in Australia. This study aimed to assess the exposure levels and risk factors for Rickettsia spp. among Australian wildlife rehabilitators (AWRs) using serology, PCR and a questionnaire. Antibody titres against Spotted Fever Group (SFG), Typhus Group (TG) and Scrub Typhus Group (STG) antigens were determined using an immunofluorescence assay. PCR targeting the gltA gene was performed on DNA extracts from whole blood and serum. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with seropositivity. Of the 27 (22.1%; 27/122) seropositive participants all were seropositive for SFG, with 5/27 (4.1%) also positive for TG. Of the 27 positive sera, 14.8% (4/27) were further classified as exposure to R. australis, 3.7% (1/27) to R. honei, 3.7% (1/27) to R. felis and 77.8% (21/27) were classified as 'indeterminate'—most of which (85.7%; 18/21) were indeterminate R. australis/R. honei exposures. Rickettsia DNA was not detected in whole blood or serum. Rehabilitators were more likely to be seropositive if more than one household member rehabilitated wildlife, were older than 50 years or had occupational animal contact. These findings suggest that AWRs are at increased risk of contracting Rickettsia-related illnesses, however the source of the increased seropositivity remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild birds harbour a large number of adenoviruses that remain uncharacterised with respect to their genomic organisation, diversity, and evolution within complex ecosystems. Here, we present the first complete genome sequence of an atadenovirus from a passerine bird that is tentatively named Passerine adenovirus 1 (PaAdV-1). The PaAdV-1 genome is 39,664 bp in length, which was the longest atadenovirus to be sequenced, to the best of our knowledge, and contained 42 putative genes. Its genome organisation was characteristic of the members of genus Atadenovirus; however, the novel PaAdV-1 genome was highly divergent and showed the highest sequence similarity with psittacine adenovirus-3 (55.58%). Importantly, PaAdV-1 complete genome was deemed to contain 17 predicted novel genes that were not present in any other adenoviruses sequenced to date, with several of these predicted novel genes encoding proteins that harbour transmembrane helices. Subsequent analysis of the novel PaAdV-1 genome positioned phylogenetically to a distinct sub-clade with all others sequenced atadenoviruses and did not show any obvious close evolutionary relationship. This study concluded that the PaAdV-1 complete genome described here is not closely related to any other adenovirus isolated from avian or other natural host species and that it should be considered a separate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]