Why cannot I send feathers for the PBFD test?

The avian circovirus is the virus responsible for the disease Psittacosis (Psittacine Beak and Feathers Disease, PBFD). This virus infects by using the bloodstream of its host to reach new cells.

At BBI Laboratory, we understand the concern of our customers for the health of their birds, and we do not want to remove feathers from individuals that could potentially be infected by this disease. The diagnostic method of PBFD in the laboratory is performed by amplifying a DNA fragment of the circovirus by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Numerous studies and scientific publications have standardized this protocol to work from the blood.

You can learn more about the diagnosis of diseases in birds in this blog post.