Phylogenetic dataset of fowl adenovirus strains circulating in Bangladesh in 2024

Fowl adenovirus serotype 8b (FAdV-8b) is a major cause of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) and significant economic losses in the Bangladeshi poultry industry. In this study, FAdV-8b was identified by PCR and sequencing in multiple organs of naturally infected commercial broiler and broiler breeder flocks. Gross and histopathological lesions included enlarged, friable livers with necrotic foci, hydropericardium, and characteristic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the liver, kidney, spleen, and thymus. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the detected FAdV-8b strains are closely related to other Bangladeshi isolates. Notably, natural infection resulted in significant upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α) and antiviral IFN-γ, particularly in the liver and spleen, suggesting a strong innate immune response associated with tissue pathology. These findings establish FAdV-8b as the predominant IBH pathogen in Bangladesh and underscore the need for ongoing surveillance and targeted control strategies to mitigate its impact on poultry health and production. Novel sequences were deposited in the NCBI GenBank database under the accession numbers PV189408-PV189410. (2025-05-13)