Evidence of goose circovirus identified in Muscovy ducks

Goose circovirus (GoCV) has been found in waterfowl more than 20 years, causing considerable economic loss worldwide. In the present study, goose circovirus (designated DuGoCV) was identified in Muscovy ducks in China, with complete genomes were sequenced and analyzed. The genetic evolutionary characteristics and recombination patterns of different genotypes were examined. The DuGoCV strain shared genome sequence identities of 89.2-95.9% with the GoCV reference strains and 67.0-67.1% with the DuCV reference strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the DuGoCV strain belongs to GoCV-III. These findings suggest possible cross-species transmission of GoCV between geese and Muscovy ducks, providing important insights for the prevention and control of GoCV infection.