Viruses (Jan 2021)

A New Variant among Newcastle Disease Viruses Isolated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2018 and 2019

  • Augustin T. Twabela,
  • Lam Thanh Nguyen,
  • Justin Masumu,
  • Patrick Mpoyo,
  • Serge Mpiana,
  • Julienne Sumbu,
  • Masatoshi Okamatsu,
  • Keita Matsuno,
  • Norikazu Isoda,
  • Bianca Zecchin,
  • Isabella Monne,
  • Yoshihiro Sakoda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v13020151
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 2
p. 151

Abstract

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Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly transmissible and devastating disease that affects poultry and wild birds worldwide. Comprehensive knowledge regarding the characteristics and epidemiological factors of the ND virus (NDV) is critical for the control and prevention of ND. Effective vaccinations can prevent and control the spread of the NDV in poultry populations. For decades, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported the impacts of ND on commercial and traditional poultry farming systems. The reports were preliminary clinical observations, and few cases were confirmed in the laboratory. However, data on the phylogenetic, genetic, and virological characteristics of NDVs circulating in the DRC are not available. In this study, the whole-genome sequences of three NDV isolates obtained using the next-generation sequencing method revealed two isolates that were a new variant of NDV, and one isolate that was clustered in the subgenotype VII.2. All DRC isolates were velogenic and were antigenically closely related to the vaccine strains. Our findings reveal that despite the circulation of the new variant, ND can be controlled in the DRC using the current vaccine. However, epidemiological studies should be conducted to elucidate the endemicity of the disease so that better control strategies can be implemented.

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