Detection and Molecular Characterization of a Novel Species of Circovirus in a Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) in Southern Italy

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The genus Circovirus groups some of the smallest viruses capable of autonomous replication, including some notable swine and avian pathogens. Among domestic and wild birds, circoviruses are often associated with immunosuppression and integumental disorders, but, despite their relevance, nothing is known about their circulation in birds of prey. By conducting molecular analyses on samples from birds of prey recovered by a wildlife rescue centre in Italy, we identified a new viral species in the spleen of a tawny owl (Strix aluco). However, there is contrasting evidence regarding its definitive host. On one hand, the virus was discovered to be phylogenetically closer to mammalian rather than avian circoviruses, which allows speculations on its host being a micromammal preyed by the tawny owl, rather than the bird itself. On the other hand, its detection in the spleen, a lymphoid organ in which other avian circoviruses are often detected, supports the tawny owl being its actual host, perhaps following a spillover event associated with predation. Adding to the growing number of circoviruses found in recent years in a diverse range of hosts, this discovery represents another step forward in the characterization of this genus of remarkable veterinary importance. ABSTRACT: Thanks to recent developments in molecular methods, many new species have been discovered within the genus Circovirus, which comprises viruses of veterinary relevance found in a broad range of hosts. In particular, several circoviruses are known to infect birds, often causing immunosuppression and feathering disorders. Nonetheless, nothing is known about their circulation in birds of prey. In this study, samples from 61 birds of prey representing ten different species, recovered by a wildlife rescue centre in Southern Italy, were taken at necropsy and analysed by PCR with pan-Circovirus primers. Only one sample, collected from a tawny owl (Strix aluco), tested positive. Its genome, sequenced by primer walking, displays the typical features of circoviruses. Based on demarcation criteria, the detected strain qualifies as a novel species, which was named “tawny owl-associated circovirus” (ToCV). Phylogenetically, ToCV clustered with mammalian rather than avian circoviruses, and its closeness to a rodent circovirus suggests that its host may have been a micromammal eaten by the tawny owl. On the other hand, its detection in the spleen fits with the tropism of other avian circoviruses. Little can be therefore said on its biology and pathogenicity, and further efforts are needed to better characterize its epidemiology.