Full Genome Sequences of Two Reticuloendotheliosis Viruses Contaminating Commercial Vaccines

Abstract

Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) fragments are a common contaminant in some commercial vaccines such as fowl poxvirus (FPV) and Marek's disease virus. However, only those strains integrating or containing a near-intact REV provirus are more likely to cause problems in the field. We confirm here, by PCR assays and animal experiments, that vaccines against FPV and herpes virus of turkeys were contaminated with full genome sequences of REV. Further, we determined the complete proviral sequence of two REV isolates from contaminated vaccines. Two REV isolates (REV-99 and REV-06) present in the vaccines were both replication competent, and their proviral genome was 8286 nucleotides in length with two identical long terminal repeats (LTR). The complete genome in these two REV isolates shared 99.8% identity to APC-566 and fowl poxvirus REV proviral inserts (FPV-REV). REV-99 and REV-06 LTR showed over 99% identity to chicken syncytial virus (CSV), but an identity of only 75.8% and 78.0%, respectively, to SNV. Alignments with other available REV gag, pol, and env sequences revealed high similarity at the nucleotide level. The results further indicated that the prototype CSV may be the most-important REV contaminant in the commercial vaccines, and distinct genotypes of REVs may cocirculate in chicken flocks of China at the present time.