Isolation, identification, whole genome sequence analysis, and pathogenicity of a potential recombinant goose parvovirus

Abstract

Goose parvovirus (GPV) is the etiological agent responsible for gosling plague (GP), which is an acute hemorrhagic infectious disease affecting geese, posing significant economic challenges to the poultry industry. Furthermore, recent studies have identified that the novel goose parvovirus (NGPV), a recombinant variant of the classic GPV, is responsible for duck short beak dwarfism syndrome, which has significantly affected duck farm. Therefore, the infection and genetic evolution of GPV have attracted widespread attention of researchers in poultry disease. In order to clarify the prevalence and genetic evolution of clinically severe GPV in the Heilongjiang region, this study successfully isolated a strain of GPV HLJ2023 from goose embryos, which results in the mortality rate of 100 % after 5 generations. The electron microscope shows that the virus particles are spherical, with a diameter of approximately 28 nm, and HLJ2023 strain has a total genome length of 5048 nt. SimPlot analysis showed that HLJ2023 strain is closely related to duck parvovirus and NGPV in the VP3 gene region. Recombination analysis showed that the isolated strain is a potential recombinant of the NGPV JS191021 strain and the GMD (Goose parvovirus hosted by Muscovy duck) PT strain. the strong pathogenicity of HLJ2023 strain to goslings. 36 h after the challenge, the goslings were depressed and had a mortality rate up to 100 %. Autopsy revealed intestinal bleeding, thinning of the intestinal wall, and a large amount of fibrous clots and fragments in the intestinal cavity. This study isolated a highly pathogenic potential recombinant GPV, further expanding the genetic evolution and pathogenicity information of avian parvovirus. At the same time, the isolated strain provides a candidate strain for the development of biological products for treating GPV.