Deadly parrot virus identified in India for the 1st time

A team of scientists identified and genetically mapped Parrot Bornavirus (PaBV-4), a highly contagious virus that causes a fatal wasting disease in captive parrots, macaws, and related species. The researchers analysed samples from 83 birds collected between 2020 and 2024 in Assam, West Bengal and Karnataka. They found no genetic variation linking the virus to any specific region of India.