Abstract:
Objective Pathogen of the disease characterized by white pinhead necrotic foci on the liver and spleen in geese was isolated and identified.
Methods PCR was used to screen possible pathogens from tissue specimens of diseased birds. Subsequently, the suspect pathogens were inoculated in Muscovy duck embryos and Muscovy duck embryo fibroblasts (MDEF) cells to identify positive isolate for further confirmation by RT-PCR, genes sequencing, and a challenge test on gooselings.
Results A strain of goose-origin Muscovy duck reovirus (Go-MDRV), JS2022, was obtained and inoculated into Muscovy duck embryos causing stunted growth. After 6 viarl passages, mortality of the infected embryos stabilized to occur in 3-5 d post-inoculation. Haemorrhagic spots and the typical pinhead necrotic foci were visible on the liver of the dead embryos. On MDEF cells, the inoculation induced cytopathic cell shrinkage and disintegration. By comparing the nucleotides of σB and σC of JS2022 with those of Go-MDRV, Muscovy duck reovirus (MDRV), novel duck reovirus (NDRV), and avian reovirus (ARV), the greatest homology as found between JS2022 and Go-MDRV with the ranges of 99.1-99.5% on σB and 99.3-99.9% onσC. In the challenge test, the infected gooselings had symptoms identical to those shown in the clinical cases.
Conclusion A strain of Go-MDRV isolated from the diseased geese bearing the specific symptom of white necrotic foci on the liver and spleen was identified and code-named JS2022.