Science & Technology

Scientists Identify Deadly Parrot Bornavirus PaBV-4 for the First Time in India

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Thursday, 9 July 2026 3 min readSource: The HinduArticle 20 of 20

A team of scientists has, for the first time in India, identified and genetically characterised parrot bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4), a virus that often causes rapid death in captive psittacine birds such as parrots, macaws and parakeets. The study, led by Pankaj Deka and Sangeeta Das of the Assam Veterinary and Fishery University, Guwahati, was published in the journal Scientific Reports. The team tested 83 psittacine birds from 13 species in aviaries in Assam, Karnataka and West Bengal during 2020-2024, and found 44 birds infected. Infection was detected in almost 88% of dead birds and 19% of apparently healthy cage mates, showing the virus can spread without visible symptoms. PaBV causes proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a largely fatal condition affecting birds' digestive and nervous systems. Genetic analysis confirmed the strain as PaBV-4, previously reported in Canada, Israel, Japan, South Korea and the U.S.

Key Facts & Details

9 points

1
Scientists identified and genetically characterised parrot bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4) in captive psittacine birds for the first time in India.
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The study was led by Pankaj Deka and Sangeeta Das of the Assam Veterinary and Fishery University, Guwahati, and published in Scientific Reports.
3
The team tested 83 psittacine birds from 13 species in aviaries in Assam, Karnataka and West Bengal during 2020-2024, finding 44 infected.
4
Infection appeared in nearly 88% of dead birds but also in 19% of apparently healthy cage mates, showing the virus can lurk without symptoms.
5
PaBV causes proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a largely fatal viral condition affecting the digestive and nervous systems of birds.
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The confirmed PaBV-4 strain had previously been reported in Canada, Israel, Japan, South Korea and the U.S.

Deep Dive

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The infected birds belonged to nine species whose conservation status ranged from near-threatened to endangered, raising concerns for parrot conservation efforts.
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PaBV belongs to the species Orthobornavirus alphapsittaciforme and is considered the most veterinarily significant avian bornavirus for psittacine aviculture.
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PaBV infections have been reported worldwide since the virus was first discovered in birds with PDD in 2008; the researchers suggest the global trade in psittacine birds may explain its spread.

Exam Focus

Which virus, causing proventricular dilatation disease in parrots, was identified for the first time in India in 2026, and by which institution?

Exam Relevance & Angle

'First-in-India' scientific detections are frequently tested in Science & Technology and environment sections. This item pairs a specific pathogen (PaBV-4), a disease (PDD), a lead institution (Assam Veterinary and Fishery University) and a journal (Scientific Reports) — a compact cluster of testable facts with conservation significance.

Target Exams

SBI POIBPS POSSC CGLRRB NTPCUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

Avian bornaviruses are RNA viruses that infect birds and can cause proventricular dilatation disease (PDD), a chronic and often fatal illness that damages the nerves controlling a bird's digestive tract, leading to weight loss and neurological signs. 'Psittacine' refers to the parrot family (order Psittaciformes), which includes budgerigars, cockatiels, cockatoos, lovebirds, macaws and parakeets — birds popular in the exotic pet trade. Because many parrot species are threatened in the wild, captive breeding is used as a conservation tool, so a virus that spreads silently through aviaries poses risks both to pet birds and to conservation programmes. Genetic characterisation helps scientists track how such pathogens move across countries, often carried by the international trade in exotic birds.