''Duck circovirus'' (DuCV) is a type of virus found in ducks. Strains of the virus have predominantly been found in China,
though strains have also been isolated from ducks in Germany
and the United States.
''Duck circovirus'' is a small nonenveloped virus with a monomeric single-stranded circular DNA genome.
DuCV has been clustered in the ''
Circoviridae
''Circoviridae'' is a family of DNA viruses. Birds and mammals serve as natural hosts. There are 101 species in this family, assigned to 2 genera. Diseases associated with this family include: PCV-2: postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome; ...
'' family genus ''
Circovirus'', according to the eighth report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses.
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]
Pathogenicity
Scientists have studied ''Duck circovirus'' by using polymerase chain reaction
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to rapidly make millions to billions of copies (complete or partial) of a specific DNA sample, allowing scientists to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it (or a part of it) ...
(PCR)-based methods and dot blot hybridisation (DBH) tests. Infection with DuCV appears to cause growth disorders in ducks as well as eventual immunosuppression
Immunosuppression is a reduction of the activation or efficacy of the immune system. Some portions of the immune system itself have immunosuppressive effects on other parts of the immune system, and immunosuppression may occur as an adverse react ...
due to depletion of lymph
Lymph (from Latin, , meaning "water") is the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, a system composed of lymph vessels (channels) and intervening lymph nodes whose function, like the venous system, is to return fluid from the tissues ...
atic cells.
Transmission
It was found that ducks between the ages of 40~60 days were more susceptible to ''Duck circovirus''. There was no evidence showing that the DuCV virus was capable of vertical transmission.
Clinical signs
The clinical signs are immunosuppression, stunting in growth, and also feather abnormalities.
Research
The PCR and dot blot hybridization (DBH) test was used in 2006–2007. 742 ducks from 70 duck farms were tested. The overall infection rate was 33.29%. Ducks at 3–4 weeks of age where more susceptible to DuCV virus.[
]
Type of Ducks Affected
'' Anas platyrhynchos'', '' Cairina moschata'', and the American Pekin Duck are the ducks most affected by the DuCV virus. These ducks come from various regions of the world.[
]
Prevention
A vaccine to provide protection against ''Duck circovirus'' has not been approved for use, though research to create one has occurred. Experimental DNA vaccines encoding the DuCV capsid protein were found to provide protection ''in vivo'', as well as inactivated vaccine
An inactivated vaccine (or killed vaccine) is a vaccine consisting of virus particles, bacteria, or other pathogens that have been grown in culture and then killed to destroy disease-producing capacity. In contrast, live vaccines use pathogens ...
s that were tested on Muscovy duck
The Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') is a large duck native to the Americas, from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United Sta ...
s.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q18352741
Circoviridae
Poultry diseases