A genetically novel avian Hepatitis E virus in China

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Genomics
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infects diverse hosts globally.
• Avian HEV (aHEV) poses a significant threat to poultry health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a novel, highly virulent aHEV strain (SDXT20) identified in chickens.
• To investigate the genetic distinctiveness and evolutionary implications of this new aHEV strain.

Main Methods:

• Next-generation sequencing to identify the sole pathogen in affected chickens.
• Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the isolated aHEV strain.
• BLAST-based similarity analysis against known HEV species.

Main Results:

• A novel aHEV strain, SDXT20, was isolated from chickens exhibiting high mortality (approx. 30%) and hepatosplenomegaly.
• The complete genome of SDXT20 is 6649 nt, encoding three open reading frames (ORFs).
• SDXT20 shows limited genetic similarity to known aHEVs and other HEV species, indicating it represents a novel genetic lineage.

Conclusions:

• The identified aHEV strain (SDXT20) is genetically distinct from previously characterized aHEVs.
• This discovery underscores the genetic diversity of HEVs and the potential for novel strains to emerge in avian populations.
• Further research into HEV multi-host and cross-host evolution is warranted.