Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) poses a significant threat to the chicken industry in China. Due to its non-specific symptoms, the disease is often overlooked. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the etiology and pathology of CIA in Guangxi Province, China. Three strains of the chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) were isolated from liver samples of diseased 20-week-old chickens. The complete genomes of these strains were sequenced, and experiments on specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks revealed that the GX21121 strain exhibited high virulence. Histopathological examination of the deceased chickens showed liver cell necrosis, fibrous serous exudation, inflammatory cell infiltration, hemorrhage in liver tissues, and congestion in lung and renal tissues. Phylogenetic analysis of the genome revealed that the three strains had a close genetic relationship to the Heilongjiang wild-type strain (GenBank KY486144). The genetic evolution of their VP1 genes indicated that all three CIAV isolates belonged to genotype IIIc. In summary, this study demonstrated the genomic diversity of three CIAV strains in adult layer hens. The isolation and characterization of the GX21121 strain as a highly virulent isolate provide valuable information for further investigations into the etiology, molecular epidemiology, and viral evolution of CIAV.
Keywords: bioinformatics analysis; chicken infectious anemia virus; isolation and identification; pathogenicity; whole genome.