Biobest offer a range of DNA testing options which can be performed on many difference species of birds.  This includes avian sexing to accurately determine a bird's sex and diagnostic testing for chlamydia, PBFD, polyomavirus and pigeon circovirus. Please refer to our avian sample submission instructions and submission form which can be found here.

Unfortunately we cannot accept samples from overseas.

Advice on the interpretation of our results is always available from our veterinary surgeons.

Avian Sexing

The sexing PCR detects DNA sequences in the avian sex chromosomes. Cock birds are ZZ, and hen birds ZW. We have developed three slightly different methods based on this difference, which allow us to test most species of birds successfully.

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease PBFD

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) is caused by a circovirus. It has a wide species range, although it appears to be a natural viral infection of cockatoos in Australasia where it occurs in wild flocks; a related virus can cause disease in pigeons and doves.

The PBFD virus is extremely infectious. It can be passed through a colony of birds in two ways: ingestion of inhalation from infected material, such as faeces, feather dust, crop secretions or infected surfaces, or by vertical transmission from hen to egg embryo.

The symptoms vary depending on which form of disease the bird has. In acute cases the main action of the disease is to destroy the cells of the beak, feather and immune system. This causes abnormal feather loss and replacement feathers to be malformed, with lesions on the feather shaft.

Avian Chlamydia

Avian chlamydiosis is a reportable, acute or chronic infectious disease of certain poultry, cage, wild and migratory birds. The disease is zoonotic and can affect people severely, various disease syndromes are seen in humans from mild flu-like signs through severe respiratory problems, hepatitis and even death in the elderly. In Psittacidae (parrots, parakeets, cockatoos etc) and humans the disease is called psittacosis. In other bird species it may be referred to as ornithosis.

We use PCR to detect DNA from Chlamydia psittaci. The nature of psittacosis is such that affected birds that are relatively well do not shed the organism every day. Taking pooled samples (rice grain amounts) into one sample container daily over 3 days improves detection.  Always discuss the testing strategy with your avian veterinarian.

Avian Polyomavirus

Avian polyomavirus (APV) was first discovered in budgies and was called Budgerigar Fledgling disease, although it has since been discovered that most species of psittacine birds are susceptible to infection.

Pigeon Circovirus

Pigeon circovirus (PiCV) infections have been reported worldwide. A broad range of clinical signs are associated with this virus, including lethargy, anorexia, weight loss, reduced race performance, respiratory distress and diarrhoea. Definitive diagnosis has to date relied on histopathology. Examination of infected young birds reveals the presence of characteristic inclusions in lymphoid tissue such as the bursa of Fabricius. As this organ shrinks in size as birds grow older and is tiny or absent in adult birds, diagnosis by histopathology alone is unreliable.

PCR detects the presence or absence of the viral genome, and can assist the diagnosis of PiCV disease at post mortem. We have validated this test using liver samples and gut contents from pigeon and non-pigeon species, and have shown there is a link between strong positive PCR results and clinical signs compatible with PiCV related disease. In addition, positive PCR results and positive histopathology results were shown to be correlated. Negative PCR results can rule out the involvement of PiCV infection in sick pigeons.

This test may be performed on samples of the liver and gut contents.