USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project by researchers at the University of Georgia that evaluated using real-time sequencing to increase the efficiency of avian reovirus characterization. The research was made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Pilgrim’s. The research is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. A summary of the completed project is below.

Project #730: Increasing the Efficiency of Avian Reovirus Characterization via Real-Time Sequencing

(Dr. James Stanton, Veterinary Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga.)

Avian reovirus (ARV) is a virus that causes a significant problem to the poultry industry due to its ability to mutate, reassort and spread rapidly. The research aimed to characterize ARV isolates and identify multiple ARV isolates within the same sample to address the ARV problems. Dr. James Stanton and colleagues from the University of Georgia evaluated nanopore-based sequencing technology, a newer sequencing technique. The new technology was able to identify and characterize multiple ARVs within one sample. With proper implementation and optimization in a diagnostic laboratory setting, the new technique should reduce the time and costs for characterizing ARV in diagnostic specimens after viral culture.

The research summary can be found on the USPOULTRY website. Information on other Association research may also be obtained by visiting the USPOULTRY website, uspoultry.org.