The Discovery of PaBV-4 Bird Virus in India

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Key takeaways

In July 2026, scientists confirmed the presence of parrot bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4) in India for the first time across Assam, Karnataka, and West Bengal.
The PaBV-4 virus is the primary cause of Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD), which was first linked to avian bornaviruses in 2008.
Before its scientific characterization, this fatal syndrome was known as Macaw Wasting Disease since the late 1970s.

For the first time in India, scientists have identified parrot bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4) circulating among captive birds.

Parrot bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4) is a highly contagious, single-stranded RNA virus. It belongs to the species Orthobornavirus alphapsittaciforme.
It is the primary agent causing Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD). This is a fatal neurological and gastrointestinal syndrome in parrots.

Globally, researchers have documented this virus across North America, South Korea, Japan, Israel, and Europe.
In India, scientists identified the virus across major captive aviculture hubs in Assam, Karnataka (Bengaluru), and West Bengal (Kolkata).

Globally, scientists first discovered the link between avian bornaviruses and Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD) in 2008.
Before this discovery, people called this fatal condition Macaw Wasting Disease since its initial description in the late 1970s.
A study in July 2026 marks the first official confirmation of the virus circulating within the Indian subcontinent.

The virus causes persistent infection. It damages nerves through immune-driven inflammation rather than directly destroying cells.
Many infected birds appear healthy. They silently shed the virus and spread infection throughout aviaries without visible symptoms.
The virus spreads through contaminated food, water, saliva, and feces. It can also pass from infected parents to eggs.
Doctors detect the virus using RT-PCR tests from cloacal swabs in live birds or brain tissues in dead birds.

The virus damages digestive nerves. This causes stomach enlargement, poor digestion, weight loss, and eventual death.
Silent transmission threatens captive breeding programmes. This puts vulnerable and endangered parrot species at risk of population decline.