Overview of waterfowl circovirus: research progress and future perspectives

Waterfowl circovirus (WFCV) is an important member of the genus Circovirus within the family Circoviridae, encompassing duck circovirus (DuCV) and goose circovirus (GoCV). As a pathogen that poses a serious threat to the global waterfowl industry, WFCV induces significant immunosuppression in its hosts, leading to growth retardation, feather abnormalities, and increased susceptibility to other pathogens. Consequently, it results in markedly elevated mortality rates among affected birds and causes substantial economic losses. In recent years, with the advancement of molecular biology techniques, notable progress has been made in research on waterfowl circoviruses. This review aims to systematically consolidate current findings on the genomic characteristics, pathogenic mechanisms, and clinical manifestations of WFCV while also summarizing the existing detection technologies and the status of vaccine development. Future research directions and prevention strategies are proposed, with the goal of providing a scientific reference for the effective control of this disease.