Molecular characterization of enteric picornaviruses in archived turkey and chicken samples from the United States

Authors: Day, James; Zsak, Laszlo

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/11/2015
Publication Date: 1/15/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62791
Citation: Day, J.M., Zsak, L. 2016. Molecular characterization of enteric picornaviruses in archived turkey and chicken samples from the United States. Avian Diseases. 60(2):500-505. doi: 10.1637/11289-092415-ResNote.

Interpretive Summary: Recent community-based analyses of the viruses present in the intestines of turkeys and chickens have revealed a complex group of viruses, some of which have not been described previously. Of particular significance are novel avian picobirnaviruses, multiple groups of viruses that infect bacteria, and small, undescribed viruses called picornaviruses. In addition to these relatively undescribed—and therefore poorly understood—poultry viruses, these community analyses have revealed the presence of well-known groups of viruses such as the avian astroviruses and the avian rotaviruses and reoviruses. The picornaviruses are common, and many of them are completely uncharacterized, so many of them are unnamed at this point. This report describes the recent analyses of turkey and chicken intestine samples archived at the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory from 2005 to present, and is a first step in a detailed description of these novel avian picornaviruses.

Technical Abstract: Recent metagenomic analyses of the enteric viromes in turkeys and chickens have revealed a complex viral community comprised of multiple viral families. Of particular significance are novel avian picobirnaviruses (Family Picobirnaviridae), multiple genera of tailed phages (Family Siphoviridae), and undescribed avian enteric picornaviruses (Family Picornaviridae). In addition to these relatively undescribed—and therefore poorly understood—poultry enteric viral families, these metagenomic analyses have revealed the presence of well-known groups of enteric viruses, such as the avian astroviruses (Family Astroviridae) and the avian rotaviruses and reoviruses (Family Reoviridae). The order Picornavirales is a group of viruses in flux, particularly among the avian picornaviruses, as several new genera have been described recently based upon community analysis of enteric viromes from poultry and other avian species worldwide. This report describes the recent phylogenetic analysis of turkey and chicken enteric samples archived at the Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory from 2005 to present, and is a first step in placing these novel avian picornaviruses within the larger Picornavirales Order.