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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #421446
Research Project: Systems Biology Approaches to Develop Medical Countermeasures to Detect, Prevent, and Control Poultry Production Viral Diseases

Location: Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research

Title: Avian Reovirus: From Molecular biology to Pathogenesis and Control

Author
item MOHAMMED, ISLAM - Orise Fellow
item Mohanty, Sujit

Submitted to: Viruses
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Avian Reovirus (ARV) is a serious problem for the global poultry industry, causing liver disease and arthritis in young chickens and turkeys. This can lead to significant losses for the poultry industry. This study reviews the current understanding of ARV since its discovery and highlights the challenges that need to be addressed in future research to help farmers control the disease and ensure a stable food supply

Technical Abstract: Avian reoviruses (ARVs) represent a significant economic burden on the poultry industry due to their widespread prevalence and potential pathogenicity. These viruses, capable of infecting a diverse range of avian species, can lead to a variety of clinical manifestations, most notably tenosynovitis/arthritis. While many ARV strains are asymptomatic, pathogenic variants can cause severe inflammation and tissue damage in organs such as the tendons, heart and liver. In broilers and turkeys, ARVs can induce severe arthritis/tenosynovitis, characterized by swollen hock joints and lesions in the gastrocnemius tendons. Additionally, ARVs have been implicated in other diseases, although their precise role in these conditions remains to be fully elucidated. In recent years, ARV cases have surged in the United States, emphasizing the need for effective control measures. Routine vaccination with commercial or autogenous vaccines is currently the primary strategy for mitigating ARV's impact. Future research efforts should focus on enhancing our understanding of ARV-induced pathogenesis, identifying host factors that influence disease severity, and developing novel vaccines based on ongoing surveillance of circulating ARV strains. This review aims to explore the molecular aspects of ARV, including virus structure, replication, molecular epidemiology, the roles of its encoded proteins in host pathogenesis and the immune response to ARV infection. Furthermore, we discuss the diagnostic approaches of avian reovirus and the potential biosecurity measures and vaccination trials in combating ARV and developing effective antiviral strategies.