Gallid alphaherpesvirus 2 Genome sequencing

The recent evolution of Marek's disease virus (MDV) in the global poultry industry is a well-known example of a vaccine-driven virulence. MDV causes Marek's disease: a lymphoproliferative disease in chickens that is controlled by vaccine regimens. Although Marek's disease vaccines prevent tumors, they permit viral replication and mutation—the primary forces driving MDV virulence in US commercial flocks. In this study, we characterized the genomes of MDV field strains of known virulence by complete or targeted DNA sequencing. Field isolate genomes clustered in agreement with known virulence revealing virulence-associated genetic variation. Variants of interest provide interesting candidate markers of MDV virulence.