Incidence of paramyxoviruses in free-living birds in 1978-1982.

Together 41 paramyxovirus (PMV) strains (25 PMV-1, 10 PMV-4, and 6 PMV-6 serotypes) were isolated from cloacal swabs of 910 free-living birds trapped in West Slovakia from 1978 to 1982. The PMV strains were found in 9, mostly aquatic bird species. Strains belonging to the PMV-1 serotype were isolated yearly, indicating its wide distribution and circulation in nature. The strains of PMV-4 and PMV-6 serotypes found only in 1978-1980, represented the first isolations in Europe. Antigenic analysis by haemagglutination-inhibition (HI), neuraminidase-inhibition (NI), complement-fixation (CF), and gel double diffusion (DD) tests proved the relatedness of the surface antigens of newly isolated PMV strains with those of PMV-4/ Duck Hong Kong D3/75 and PMV-6/Duck/Hong Kong 311/80 strains. One-way reaction between PMV-4 serotype and mumps virus was demonstrated using hyperimmune rat sera. Electron microscopic observation of isolated virus strains revealed structures typical of PMV.