Recombinant characteristics, pathogenicity, and transmissibility of a variant goose orthoreovirus derived from inter-lineage recombination.

Since March 2021, an infectious characterized by white necrotic foci throughout the goose body has appeared in the major goose-producing regions in China. This disease has caused economic hardship for goose farms in many regions of China with approximately 50 % mortality. A novel goose-origin orthoreovirus was isolated from the spleen of diseased geese and designated as N-GRV/HN/Goose/2021/China (N-GRV-HN21) strain. Next-generation sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the isolate was a reassortant virus containing viral gene segments from three ARV serotypes that infect duck, muscovy duck, and goose. Geese infection test showed that both N-GRV-HN21-infected and contacted geese displayed whole-body white necrotic foci. N-GRV RNA was detected in different organs of both infected and contacted geese, indicating that the N-GRV isolate is pathogenic and transmissible in geese. Seroconversion was also observed in experimentally infected and contacted geese. A prevalence study of 323 goose serum samples collected from different goose breeding areas showed that 86 % of the geese were positive for N-GRV. In conclusion, all results warrant the necessity to monitor orthoreovirus epidemiology and reassortment as the orthoreovirus could be an important pathogen for the waterfowl industry and a novel orthoreovirus might emerge to threaten animal and public health. • Using the NGS technology, we identified A novel goose-origin orthoreovirus named N-GRV/HN/Goose/2021/China, isolated from the spleen of 30-day-old diseased geese with white necrotic foci in China. • The isolate is a reassortant virus containing fragments of viral genes from three ARV serotypes infecting ducks, ducks, and geese and differs significantly from the known antiretroviral reference strains. • The isolates were pathogenic and transmissible in the goslings and underwent seroconversion. • Serological research revealed that the virus is common in China's main goose breeding regions and poses a substantial risk to both animal and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]