Open AccessA highly divergent hepacivirus-like flavivirus in domestic ducks
Author(s) -
Lili Chu,
Meiling Jin,
Chonglun Feng,
Xiaoyan Wang,
Dabing Zhang
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of general virology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1465-2099
pISSN - 0022-1317
DOI - 10.1099/jgv.0.001298
Subject(s) - biology , virology , flavivirus , flaviviridae , hepacivirus , flock , virus , phylogenetics , phylogenetic tree , hepatitis c virus , gene , genetics , ecology
Using random amplification and reverse transcription-PCR, a novel RNA virus was detected in sera of domestic ducks. The full genome of the virus was determined for three strains, identifying the first hepacivirus-like flavivirus in birds. The virus, that we tentatively named duck hepacivirus-like virus (DuHV), possesses several unique molecular features, such as possession of the largest hepacivirus-like polyprotein gene and a Pegivirus A-like internal ribosome entry site. Sequence comparisons and phylogenetic and sliding-window analyses indicated that DuHV is most closely related to, but highly divergent from, the known hepaciviruses. DuHV was detected in 69.7 % of 185 serum samples from four duck species and in 31 of 33 flocks from five provinces of China, reflecting a high prevalence in duck populations and a wide geographical distribution. The detection of DuHV in the same flock in November 2018 and April 2019 suggested that persistent infection can be established in the infected ducks.