Avian species pose risks for transmitting viruses, including avian circoviruses, that could be a threat for conservation and introduction into commercial flocks. This study investigated the presence of circovirus in 81 avian species from different regions of Brazil, including the northwest region of São Paulo and the coast of Paraná. Blood samples and oropharyngeal, cloacal, and other organ swabs were collected. The samples were extracted and screened using nested PCR for the replicase gene. In positive cases, the samples were sequenced. Regarding the results, a total of 1528 swab samples were collected from 601 birds, of which 24 (4%, 95% CI: 2.4–5.6) tested positive for various circovirus subtypes. Most positive birds (92%, 22/24) were from the northwest region of São Paulo, mainly from the city of São José do Rio Preto (54%, 12/22). The study also identified the presence of circovirus subtypes in avian families that were not previously described. Furthermore, the presence of raven circovirus in the blood sample of a Nyctibius griseus (potoo), suggests the possibility of a new carrier of the virus. Ultimately, the findings underscore the complexity of the viral ecology of avian circoviruses, highlight the necessity of enhancing future studies, and emphasize the need to support health assessment of wildlife, including marine birds.
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are widely distributed and have a wide range of hosts. Recently, the number of cases of infection associated with the circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 2.3.4.4b has raised concerns about its high transmission capacity in birds and mammals. This study analyzed swabs from bird and mammal species from the coast of Paraná and the northwest region of São Paulo, Brazil, for the presence of AIV in animals that did not present clinical or histopathological lesions of infection that indicated the need for molecular characterization during monitoring. Of the 661 animals analyzed, three tested positive, two of which were birds (Sula leucogaster and Thalasseus acuflavidus) while one was a mammal (Otaria flavescens) (0.45%, CI 95%: 0.16–1.33). A complete genome sequence of H5N1 AIV was obtained from a brown booby (Sula leucogaster) from the Paraná coast (GISAID accession number: EPI_ISL_1897537). Our study reinforces the importance of continuous genomic surveillance, especially in AIV hosts that do not show signs of infection, to enhance the One-Health assessment approach.