Detection of GI-11 South American Lineage Infectious Bronchitis Virus in a Native Chicken Farm in the Republic of Korea, 2011

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a highly contagious disease of major concern to the commercial poultry industry because it significantly affects egg production. The predominant IBV strains vary according to region. The GI-11 lineage is predominantly identified in countries within South America, notably in countries such as Brazil and Uruguay, but it has not been detected in other regions, including South Korea. In this study, using next-generation sequencing, we identified the IBV with a spike gene of the GI-11 lineage in a native chicken farm sample collected in South Korea in 2011. Recombination analysis revealed that the spike region of the isolated virus bears high similarity to the GI-11 lineage, whereas the nonspike regions show high similarity to the GI-19 lineage that is predominantly found in South Korea, which suggests the occurrence of recombination. The poultry product trade and related human activities are suspected to be sources of intercontinental viral spread. Therefore, to prevent the introduction of new viruses, it is imperative to enhance and enforce quarantine measures.