Recently, the Research Team of Waterfowl Virus Disease and Animal Influenza of SHVRI CAAS revealed the transmission route of Cluster 3 Tembusu Virus in Ducks and Chickens. The findings have been published in Journal of General Virology.

Background

Recently, Cluster 3 TMUV has been increasingly isolated from chickens, ducks, and geese. This study aims to explore the pathogenicity and key transmission routes of Cluster 3 TMUV in ducks and chickens, providing insights to the prevention and control of TMUV outbreaks.

Research progress

This study provides valuable insights into the transmission dynamics of Cluster 3 Tembusu virus in both ducks and chickens. We demonstrated that Cluster 3 TMUV SD can be efficiently transmitted among ducks through direct contact, bypassing the need for mosquito vectors, which mirrors the transmission patterns of earlier Cluster 2 TMUV strains like FX2010. However, in chickens, mosquito vectors remain essential for the transmission of Cluster 3 TMUV. Our findings also highlight the potential role of the respiratory tract and digestive tract excretion in the spread of TMUV.

(a) Cluster 3 TMUV SD can transmit among ducks through direct contact.

 (b) Cluster 3 TMUV SD can be transmitted among ducks by mosquito vectors. 

(c) Mosquito vectors are essential for the transmission of Cluster 3 SD TMUV.

Funding

This study was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2024YFD1800102，2023YFD1800600).

Luzhao Li, a joint doctoral student of SHVRI CAAS and Wageningen University, is the first author of the paper. Zejun Li from SHVRI and GorbenP. Pijlman from Wageningen University are the co-corresponding authors.

Link to Original Article

https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/jgv.0.002106#tab2.