Full-Length Genomic Characterization of Chicken Anemia Virus in Turkey

ABSTRACT Chicken infectious anemia (CIA) is an immune-suppressive disease caused by chicken anemia virus (CAV). It is characterized by lymphoid atrophy, aplastic anemia, especially in chicks. In this study, full-length genomic characterization of CAV DNA from the broiler flocks in Turkey and phylogenetic analysis were aimed. In the study, CAV DNA were found positive for 37 (53%) flocks with PCR studies from thymus tissues of each 70 broiler flocks. And 17 purified CAV DNA PCR products from these 37 CAV isolates were full length sequenced with the NGS method (Illumina MiSeq). Also with the phylogenetic analyses, full length PCR products of 17 purified CAV isolates have been determined as 2298bp genome size and 99% similarity with each other. The highest similarity (99%) has been detected with the isolates from China and Taiwan. Furthermore, a 97-98% similarity has been detected with vaccine strains (Cux-1, 26P4 and Del Ros) and also 88-90 % similarity has been detected with GyV4 and GyV3 isolates. As a result, in the study full length genomic characterization of CAV DNA from the 7 regions of Turkey were determined. And also all Turkish CAV isolates and vaccine strains were in group 2 according to the phylogenetic tree were obtained. But these isolates and vaccine strains were not found in the same group with GyV3 and GyV4 strains. Besides, these CAV isolates were showed more similarity to the isolates reported from Taiwan and China than the vaccine strains.