Background: The study’s main objective was to determine the occurrence, frequency and primary histopathological lesions of pigeon paramyxovirus-1 infection in Istanbul’s pigeon population and demonstrate the viral antigen immunohistochemically to reach a definitive diagnosis and to help elucidate the pathogenesis of the disease.
Methods: Sera were collected for ELISA from thirty-seven pigeons suspected of pPMV-1 infection, housed at different flocks in various Istanbul districts. The study was carried out with a total of ninety pigeons. Immunohistochemistry was applied to demonstrate tissue distribution of the virus with mAb 617/161 antibody.
Result: ELISA results for positive, suspected and negative cases were 89.18%, 5.4% and 5.4%, respectively. Tubulointerstitial nephritis, pancreatitis and necrotizing hepatitis were commonly encountered histopathological lesions. Viral antigen was demonstrated in 60.25% of all cases by immunohistochemistry. It was concluded that infection was present in pigeon flocks in various districts of Istanbul and immunohistochemistry was considered as a useful tool in reaching a definiteve diagnosis through the demonstration of antigenic particles in the lymphoid cells and macrophages localized in various organs, particularly the kidney, pancreas, spleen and liver.
