Progress in research on the molecular biological detection techniques of avian encephalomyelitis

Avian encephalomyelitis (AE) is a highly infectious disease caused by the avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV), which primarily affects the central nervous system of 1- to 4-week-old chicks and causes significant economic losses in the worldwide poultry industry. Despite heavy dependency on vaccine immunization, AEV has persisted on farms for extended periods, which increases its virulence and makes quick and accurate detection crucial to preventing and controlling the disease. Classical diagnostic methods have been unable to meet the current requirements for rapid diagnosis of AE cases. To address this issue, this paper reviews the etiological and molecular biological detection techniques of AE, and it seeks to provide a reference for future research and to establish differential diagnostic techniques for AE epidemiological investigation, identification of epidemic strains, and early diagnosis of clinical cases. Through improving our understanding of AE, we can better combat the disease and protect the global poultry industry.