Abstract
Avipoxviruses (APVs) are among the most complex viruses that infect a wide range of birds’ species. The infection by APVs is often associated with breathing and swallowing difficulties, reduced growth, decreased egg production, and high mortalities in domestic poultry. In the present study, 200 cutaneous nodular samples were collected from different avian species (chicken, pigeon, turkey, and canary) suspected to be infected with APVs from Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Pooled samples (n = 40) were prepared and inoculated in embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs). APVs were then identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence analysis of the APV P4b gene. Furthermore, the forty strains of APVs were screened for the presence of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)-5′LTR in their genomes. Interestingly, the phylogenic tree of the APV P4b gene was separated into 2 clades: clade 1, in which our fowlpox virus (FWPV), turkeypox virus (TKPV), and canarypox virus (CNPV) isolates were grouped, along with reference FWPVs and TKPVs retrieved from GenBank, whereas, in clade2, the pigeonpox virus (PGPV) isolate was grouped with PGPVs retrieved from GenBank. Likewise, REV-5′LTR was amplified from 30 strains isolated from chicken, turkey, and canary, while PGPV strains were free from REV-5′LTR integration. To the best of our knowledge, this study involved the detection and characterization of REV-5′LTR insertions in the APVs field isolates in Egypt for the first time. Given the above information, further future research seems recommended to understand the impact of the resulting REV-5′LTR insertions on the pathogenesis, virulence, and inadequate vaccine protection against APVs.
Highlights
Avipoxviruses (APVs) are a group of mosquito-borne viruses of the genus Avipoxvirus that belong to the family Poxviridae, subfamily Chordopoxvirinae (ChPV) [1,2]
(B) Pigeonpox virus (PGPV) proliferative lesions on the head and wings of affected Egyptian swift pigeon. (C) Multiple turkeypox virus (TKPV) lesions on the head of a diseased bronze turkey, and the snood was totally involved with a pox lesion. (D) Canarypox virus (CNPV) lesions on the wing of diseased white canary
In other studies [25], reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)-50 LTR was detected in fowlpox virus (FWPV) and TKPV genomes
Summary
Avipoxviruses (APVs) are a group of mosquito-borne viruses of the genus Avipoxvirus that belong to the family Poxviridae, subfamily Chordopoxvirinae (ChPV) [1,2]. This family of viruses (Poxviridae) comprises a number of zoonotic pathogens that possess public health concerns [3]. APVs infections can result in huge economic burdens that target the poultry industry represented by a reduction in growth and egg production. It is noteworthy to state that APV infections occur in three forms: dry form (cutaneous), wet form (diphtheritic), and systemic form, in which different body systems are involved [9,10]. In the cutaneous form, the proliferative lesions appeared as papules, which develop to nodules, wart-like masses, which harden and form scabs on unfeathered skin areas, especially combs and wattles [4,11,12,13,14]
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