Molecular Identification of Parvovirus in Ducks in Egypt

Parvovirus is the causative agent of Derzy’s disease in ducks. The disease appeared in Egypt as a variant of goose parvovirus (GPV) called Short Beak and Stunted Growth Disorder, affecting ducks which cause shortening of beaks, tongue protrusion, and growth retardation, this condition is attributed to the recently identified parvovirus. This study aims to know if there is a new viral mutation of the recently isolated strain in Egypt by, isolation of the virus in fertilized duck eggs and fibroblast cells of duck embryos, followed by (an ELISA) test. Polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the virus's existence followed by gel electrophoresis and sequence analysis of the VP1 gene, comparing the isolated virus to closely related strains from Gene Bank. The isolated virus was found to be 100% identical to the strains isolated in 2023 in Egypt. It is 98.1% identical with the isolated strain in 2018 with about 10 nucleotide variations at specific locations. Just a single change between them results in a codon shift from Serine in the obtained isolated strain into Alanine in the local isolate of 2018. This site of change is significant (receptor binding site of the outer coat of the virus) the change will affect viral pathogenicity and antigenicity. While the rest 9 variations result in no codon change (silent mutations).