Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis

Avian reovirus (ARV) has emerged as an important pathogen in turkeys, causing economic losses through tenosynovitis, necrotizing hepatitis, immunosuppression, and enteric disease. Despite its ubiquity, the evolutionary history of ARV cross-species transmission among chickens, turkeys, and wild birds...

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Main Authors: Cheng-Shun Hsueh, Michael Zeller, Amro Hashish, Olufemi Fasina, Pablo Piñeyro, Ganwu Li, Jianqiang Zhang, Mohamed El-Gazzar, Yuko Sato
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Viruses
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/926
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author Cheng-Shun Hsueh
Michael Zeller
Amro Hashish
Olufemi Fasina
Pablo Piñeyro
Ganwu Li
Jianqiang Zhang
Mohamed El-Gazzar
Yuko Sato
author_facet Cheng-Shun Hsueh
Michael Zeller
Amro Hashish
Olufemi Fasina
Pablo Piñeyro
Ganwu Li
Jianqiang Zhang
Mohamed El-Gazzar
Yuko Sato
author_sort Cheng-Shun Hsueh
collection DOAJ
description Avian reovirus (ARV) has emerged as an important pathogen in turkeys, causing economic losses through tenosynovitis, necrotizing hepatitis, immunosuppression, and enteric disease. Despite its ubiquity, the evolutionary history of ARV cross-species transmission among chickens, turkeys, and wild birds remains poorly understood, hindering effective control and surveillance. This study investigates ARV temporal phylogenetics with an emphasis on interspecies transmission in turkeys. Whole genome sequences (WGSs) from seventy-seven turkey cases and one quail case at the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, along with 74–136 segment sequences per gene from GenBank (1970–2023), were analyzed. Temporal phylogenetic analyses identified chickens as the ancestral host, with spillover into turkeys beginning in the mid-20th century, followed by stable transmission within turkey populations. Migration analyses revealed predominantly unidirectional transmission from chickens to turkeys. WGS analyses showed high variability in the M2 and σC-encoding region of the S1 segment, suggesting selective pressure on outer capsid proteins. M2, S1 σC, and L3 had the highest substitution rates, implicating their role in adaptation and antigenic diversity. These findings highlight the complexity of ARV evolution across hosts and underscore the need for robust genotyping schemes and surveillance strategies to mitigate outbreaks in poultry.
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spelling doaj-art-d9f2a9bcc6754c3092c6b9e30d0bcbfe2025-08-20T03:56:49ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-06-0117792610.3390/v17070926Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal AnalysisCheng-Shun Hsueh0Michael Zeller1Amro Hashish2Olufemi Fasina3Pablo Piñeyro4Ganwu Li5Jianqiang Zhang6Mohamed El-Gazzar7Yuko Sato8Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USADepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USAAvian reovirus (ARV) has emerged as an important pathogen in turkeys, causing economic losses through tenosynovitis, necrotizing hepatitis, immunosuppression, and enteric disease. Despite its ubiquity, the evolutionary history of ARV cross-species transmission among chickens, turkeys, and wild birds remains poorly understood, hindering effective control and surveillance. This study investigates ARV temporal phylogenetics with an emphasis on interspecies transmission in turkeys. Whole genome sequences (WGSs) from seventy-seven turkey cases and one quail case at the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, along with 74–136 segment sequences per gene from GenBank (1970–2023), were analyzed. Temporal phylogenetic analyses identified chickens as the ancestral host, with spillover into turkeys beginning in the mid-20th century, followed by stable transmission within turkey populations. Migration analyses revealed predominantly unidirectional transmission from chickens to turkeys. WGS analyses showed high variability in the M2 and σC-encoding region of the S1 segment, suggesting selective pressure on outer capsid proteins. M2, S1 σC, and L3 had the highest substitution rates, implicating their role in adaptation and antigenic diversity. These findings highlight the complexity of ARV evolution across hosts and underscore the need for robust genotyping schemes and surveillance strategies to mitigate outbreaks in poultry.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/926avian reovirusevolutionspilloverphylogenyturkey reovirus
spellingShingle Cheng-Shun Hsueh
Michael Zeller
Amro Hashish
Olufemi Fasina
Pablo Piñeyro
Ganwu Li
Jianqiang Zhang
Mohamed El-Gazzar
Yuko Sato
Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis
Viruses
avian reovirus
evolution
spillover
phylogeny
turkey reovirus
title Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis
title_full Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis
title_fullStr Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis
title_short Investigation of Avian Reovirus Evolution and Cross-Species Transmission in Turkey Hosts by Segment-Based Temporal Analysis
title_sort investigation of avian reovirus evolution and cross species transmission in turkey hosts by segment based temporal analysis
topic avian reovirus
evolution
spillover
phylogeny
turkey reovirus
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/926
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