What's in a strain? Viral metagenomics identifies genetic variation and contaminating circoviruses in laboratory isolates of pigeon paramyxovirus type 1

► Genome of 11 pigeon paramyxoviruses by random amplification + 454 sequencing. ► Variability and metagenomic analysis. ► Pigeon circovirus sequences in four of these viral stocks. ► Real-time quantitative RT-PCR follow-up for PMV-1 and PiCV.