Detection of Fowlpox virus carrying distinct genome segments of Reticuloendotheliosis virus

Abstract

Highlights

•Two distinct FWPV populations were detected in the skin of a wild bird affected with FWPV.

•Metagenomics revealed two FWPV genome populations containing the insertion of REV LTR or the full-length provirus.

•Detection of these distinct populations in other clinical samples of viral isolates suggest that this is a usual event.

•Passage of the FWPV-REV in cell culture resulted in loss of the full-length REV provirus, suggesting instability.