Circovirus-like infection in a southern black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus)

Abstract

A juvenile black-backed gull (Larus dominicanus) from the Manawatu region of New Zealand was found to have chronic airsacculitis due to Aspergillus spp. Histologically, there was moderately severe inflammation in the bursa of Fabricius associated with large, basophilic, intracytoplasmic inclusions, which ultrastructurally had an appearance typical of circovirus inclusions. This finding suggests that circoviruses may be more widespread in avian species than previously recognized and may be responsible for diseases associated with immunosuppression in free-living birds.