Identification and molecular characterization of novel duck reoviruses in Henan Province, China

Zhifeng Peng; Han Zhang; Xiaozhan Zhang; Haiyan Wang; Zihan Liu; Hongxing Qiao; Yujin Lv; Chuanzhou Bian

doi:10.3389/fvets.2023.1137967

Identification and molecular characterization of novel duck reoviruses in Henan Province, China

Front Vet Sci. 2023 Mar 30:10:1137967. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1137967. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhifeng Peng¹, Han Zhang¹, Xiaozhan Zhang¹, Haiyan Wang¹, Zihan Liu^{1

2}, Hongxing Qiao¹, Yujin Lv¹, Chuanzhou Bian¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, China.
² College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, China.

Abstract

Novel Duck reovirus (NDRV) is an ongoing non-enveloped virus with ten double-stranded RNA genome segments that belong to the genus Orthoreovirus, in the family Reoviridae. NDRV-associated spleen swelling, and necrosis disease have caused considerable economic losses to the waterfowl industry worldwide. Since 2017, a significant number of NDRV outbreaks have emerged in China. Herein, we described two cases of duck spleen necrosis disease among ducklings on duck farms in Henan province, central China. Other potential causative agent, including Muscovy duck reovirus (MDRV), Duck hepatitis A virus type 1 (DHAV-1), Duck hepatitis A virus type 3 (DHAV-3), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and Duck tembusu virus (DTMUV), were excluded by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and two NDRV strains, HeNXX-1/2021 and HNJZ-2/2021, were isolated. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the σC genes revealed that both newly identified NDRV isolates were closely related to DRV/SDHZ17/Shandong/2017. The results further showed that Chinese NDRVs had formed two distinct clades, with late 2017 as the turning point, suggesting that Chinese NDRVs have been evolving in different directions. This study identified and genetic characteristics of two NDRV strains in Henan province, China, indicating NDRVs have evolved in different directions in China. This study provides an insight into the ongoing emerged duck spleen necrosis disease and enriches our understanding of the genetic diversity and evolution of NDRVs.

Keywords: NDRV; duck spleen necrosis disease; epidemiology; evolutionary; genome sequence.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the grants from Scientific Innovation Fund of Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy (XKYCXJJ2020011), Key Discipline of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy (XJK202202), Scientific and Technological Project of Henan Province (232102110115), and Youth Science Foundations of Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy (2021HNUAHEDF004).