Duck virus enteritis (duck plague) – a comprehensive update

Abstract

Duck virus enteritis (DVE), also called duck plague, is one of the major contagious and fatal diseases of ducks, geese and swan. It is caused by duck enteritis virus (DEV)/Anatid herpesvirus-1 of the genus Mardivirus, family Herpesviridae, and subfamily Alpha-herpesvirinae. Of note, DVE has worldwide distribution, wherein migratory waterfowl plays a crucial role in its transmission within and between continents. Furthermore, horizontal and/ or vertical transmission plays a significant role in disease spread through oral-fecal discharges. Either of sexes from varying age groups of ducks is vulnerable to DVE. The disease is characterized by sudden death, vascular damage and subsequent internal hemorrhage, lesions in lymphoid organs, digestive mucosal eruptions, severe diarrhea and degenerative lesions in parenchymatous organs. Huge economic losses are connected with acute nature of the disease, increased morbidity and mortality (5%-100%), condemnations of carcasses, decreased egg production and hatchability. Although clinical manifestations and histopathology can provide preliminary diagnosis, the confirmatory diagnosis involves virus isolation and detection using serological and molecular tests. For prophylaxis, both live-attenuated and killed vaccines are being used in broiler and breeder ducks above 2 weeks of age. Since DEV is capable of becoming latent as well as shed intermittently, recombinant subunit and DNA vaccines either alone or in combination (polyvalent) are being targeted for its benign prevention. This review describes DEV, epidemiology, transmission, the disease (DVE), pathogenesis, and advances in diagnosis, vaccination and antiviral agents/therapies along with appropriate prevention and control strategies.

Metagenomic Analysis of the Jinding Duck Fecal Virome

“…DPV causes acute contagious infections among ducks, geese, and swans, and is known as duck virus enteritis (DVE) and duck plague (DP). DVE causes high morbidity and mortality, which leads to enormous economic losses in waterfowl breeding [23]. Herpesviridae reads dominated among the DNA animal virus reads; however, identification of DEV reads in four strains was rare.…”

Detection and isolation of Duck Plague virus from field outbreaks in Assam, India

“…It is a double stranded, enveloped DNA virus and taxonomically belonging to Anatid Herpes virus 1, under the genus Mardivirus, subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, of the family Herpesviridae (King et al, 2012). The disease is highly acute and contagious in nature and causes considerable mortality among domestic and wild ducks, swans, geese and other waterfowl of different ages (Dhama et al, 2017). The disease is worldwide in distribution and DPV can be transmitted among birds by direct contact with infected birds or indirect contact with contaminated environment (Kaleta et al, 2007, Yang et al, 2010.…”

“…Clinical symptoms if evident includes high mortalities especially in older ducks, partially closed eyelids with photophobia, extreme thirst, loss of appetite, ataxia, nasal discharge, drooping plumage, watery diarrhea, soiled vents and tremors of head, neck and body (Davison et al 1993) etc. Mortality and morbidity may range from 5-100% (Jensen, 1961) and is frequently associated with the virulence of the infection as well as immunological status in the affected birds (Dhama et al, 2017). There may be significant drop in the egg production (Goldberg et al 1990) and mortality usually starts at 1-5 days after the onset of clinical signs and is more evident in adult breeder ducks (Dhama et al, 2017).…”

“…Mortality and morbidity may range from 5-100% (Jensen, 1961) and is frequently associated with the virulence of the infection as well as immunological status in the affected birds (Dhama et al, 2017). There may be significant drop in the egg production (Goldberg et al 1990) and mortality usually starts at 1-5 days after the onset of clinical signs and is more evident in adult breeder ducks (Dhama et al, 2017). Several studies showed that DPV establishes asymptomatic carrier state in migratory water-fowl and intermittently shed the virus for up to 4 years, which makes it very difficult to diagnose and control (Burgress et al, 1979).…”

“…Together with clinical symptoms, characteristic gross and histopathological lesions are being preferred for the preliminary diagnosis of DP. However, hemorrhagic and necrotic lesions need to be differentiated from duck virus hepatitis, fowl cholera, necrotic enteritis, coccidiosis and specific intoxications (Dhama et al, 2017). Molecular diagnostics like PCR is an exquisite sensitive diagnostic technique and can able to detect small quantities of virus from field sample (Pritchard et al, 1999).…”