Genomic and Pathologic Characterization of the First FAdV-C Serotype 4 Isolate from Black-Necked Crane
Xiaoyan Xue,
Qinhong Yang,
Ming J. Wu,
Zhenxing Zhang,
Jianling Song,
Wei Wang,
Jia Yang,
Jia Ji,
Yongxian Zhang,
Hongyang Dai,
Hongbin Yin,
Suhua Li
Affiliations
Xiaoyan Xue
College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, 300 Bailong Road, Kunming 650024, China
Qinhong Yang
College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, 300 Bailong Road, Kunming 650024, China
Ming J. Wu
School of Science, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Zhenxing Zhang
Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Virus Diseases Laboratory, Yunnan Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, 6 Qinglongshan, Kunming 650224, China
Jianling Song
Yunnan Tropical and Subtropical Animal Virus Diseases Laboratory, Yunnan Academy of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences, 6 Qinglongshan, Kunming 650224, China
Wei Wang
College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, 300 Bailong Road, Kunming 650024, China
Jia Yang
College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, 300 Bailong Road, Kunming 650024, China
Jia Ji
College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, 300 Bailong Road, Kunming 650024, China
Yongxian Zhang
Animal Disease Inspection and Supervision Institution of Yunnan Province, 118 Gulou Road, Kunming 650051, China
Hongyang Dai
The Management Bureau of Huize Black Necked Crane National Nature Reserve, 744 Tongbao Road, Qujing 654200, China
Hongbin Yin
Animal Disease Inspection and Supervision Institution of Yunnan Province, 118 Gulou Road, Kunming 650051, China
Suhua Li
College of Life Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, 300 Bailong Road, Kunming 650024, China
Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) are distributed worldwide in poultry and incriminated as the etiological agents for several health problems in fowls, and are capable of crossing species barriers between domestic and wild fowls. An FAdV strain was, for the first time, isolated from black-necked crane in this study, and was designated as serotype 4 Fowl aviadenovirus C (abbreviated as BNC2021) according to the phylogenetic analysis of its DNA polymerase and hexon gene. The viral genomic sequence analysis demonstrated that the isolate possessed the ORF deletions that are present in FAdV4 strains circulating in poultry fowls in China and the amino acid mutations associated with viral pathogenicity in the hexon and fiber 2 proteins. A viral challenge experiment with mallard ducks demonstrated systemic viral infection and horizontal transmission. BNC2021 induced the typical clinical signs of hepatitis–hydropericardium syndrome (HHS) with swelling and inflammation in multiple organs and showed significant viral replication in all eight organs tested in the virus-inoculated ducks and their contactees at 6 dpi. The findings highlight the importance of surveillance of FAdVs in wild birds.
