Characterization of a pigeon paramyxovirus (PPMV-1) isolated from chickens in South Africa : research communication

Abstract

A paramyxovirus with a thermostability of 60 min (typical of velogenic viruses) and a mean death time of > 90 h (typical of lentogenic viruses) was isolated from layers near Mooi River, South Africa. Our results, based on comparative nucleotide sequence data indicated that the virus is pigeon paramyxovirus 1 (PPMV-1), a variant of Newcastle disease virus. The F₀ cleavage site contains a ¹¹²RRKKRF¹¹⁷ motif, and the virus had 98 % sequence identity with PPMV-1 strains from the Far East. PPMV-1 was last reported in South Africa during the 1980s, with this being the first report of PPMV-1 isolated from chickens in South Africa.