Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 46(1), 2010, pp. 272–276 # Wildlife Disease Association 2010 IsolationandIdentificationofaFowlAdenovirusfromWildBlackKites (Milvus migrans) Rajesh Kumar, 1,3 Vipan Kumar, 1 Manu Asthana, 1 S. K. Shukla, 2 and Rajesh Chandra 11 Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar—263 145, Uttarakhand, India; 2 Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar—263 145, Uttarakhand, India; 3 Corresponding author (email: rajeshvet@rediffmail.com) ABSTRACT: A fowl adenovirus was isolated from wild Black Kites (Milvus migrans) that died around Kashipur, Uttarakhand, India. This virus isolate produced cytopathic effects in chicken embryo liver (CEL) cells and reacted with fowl adenovirus 4 (FadV-4) antiserum in agar gel immunodiffusion and immunofluores- cence tests. The virus isolate was neutralized by FadV-4 antiserum with a neutralization titer of 800. Electron microscopy of infected CEL cells showed the presence of hexagonal virion particles measuring in size about 80–100 nm. An amplicon of 1,223 base pairs was detected using polymerase chain reaction with primers designed to target the hexon gene of FadV-4. Key words: Black Kites, fowl adenovirus, poultry, wild kites. Avian adenoviruses are a very diverse group of pathogens causing a variety of problems in domestic as well as wild birds. The genus Aviadenovirus currently con- sists of six virus species Fowladenovirus (A–E) and Gooseadenovirus (ICTV db, 2007). Fowl adenoviruses are common in healthy birds and marked differences in pathogenicity among isolates of some serotypes have been demonstrated (Cook, 1972; Bulow et al., 1986). In general, adenoviruses are more virulent in non– host-adapted species than in their typical host. In several outbreaks of adenovirus infections involving psittacine birds, non- psittacine species in the same facility were unaffected (Bryant and Montali, 1987; Gerlach, 1994). An adenovirus was detect- ed by electron microscopy in tissues from a falcon that died during an outbreak of inclusion body hepatitis and enteritis that affected neonatal Northern Aplomado Falcons (Falco femoralis septentrionalis; Oaks et al., 2005). Adenovirus was recov- ered from the brain of a free-living Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) with neuro- logic signs (Geralch, 1994). Additionally, adenovirus was described in association with hemorrhagic enteritis in a free-living Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) in Australia (Reece and Pass, 1985), in a Merlin (F. columbarius) from the USA with hepatitis (Schelling et al., 1989), and in captive Mauritius Kestrels (F. puncta- tus) from the UK showing various clinical signs such as hemorrhagic enteritis, hep- atitis, and acute death (Forbes et al., 1997). A serologic survey conducted by Frolich et al. (2005) provided the evidence of natural exposure to adenoviruses among free-living Eurasian Buzzards (Buteo bu- teo) from eastern Germany. In the present study we describe the isolation of adenovirus from wild Black Kites (Milvus migrans) that died in an outbreak near Kashipur, Uttarakhand, India (29u139110N, 78u579350E). These kites had reportedly consumed poultry offal thrown out at the waste-disposal ground. Thirteen kites died and all were subjected to postmortem examination. Postmortem findings included congestion and necrotic foci on liver, congestion and hemorrhages in kidney, and congestion of intestine. Primary chicken embryo liver (CEL) cell culture was used to attempt to isolate adenovirus. Primary CEL cell culture was prepared from 14-day-old domestic chick- en embryos as per the method described by Adair et al. (1979). 272