Molecular characterization, complete genome sequencing, and pathogenicity of Novel Duck Reovirus from South Coastal Area in China

Novel Duck Reovirus (NDRV) that has been found throughout the world in waterfowl, and it has been extensively described. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a NDRV strain isolated in China called NDRV YF10. This strain was collected from 87 samples with infected ducks in South Coastal Area. The NDRV genome consists of 23,419 bp. With the assistance of computer analysis, the promoter and terminator of each gene segment and 10 viral genes segments were identified, which encode polypeptides ranging from 98 to 1,294 amino acids. All gene fragments of this virus strain were determined and compared to previously reported strains, revealing genetic variation with similarity rates ranging from 96 to 99% for each gene segment. Each gene segment formed 2 host-associated groups, the waterfowl-derived reovirus and the avian-derived reovirus, except for the S1 gene segment, which was closely related to ARV evolution and formed a host-independent subcluster. This difference may be due to Avian Reovirus (ARV) evolving in a host-dependent manner. In order to evaluate the pathogenicity of YF10, a novel isolated strain of NDRV was tested in 2 types of ducks. It was observed that the YF10 isolated strain exhibits varying degrees of virulence, highlighting the potential risk posed to different types of ducks. In conclusion, our findings emphasize the importance of epidemiology studies, molecular characterization, and prevention of NDRV in waterfowl.