Duck hepatitis A virus (DHAV) (DHAV)

Duck hepatitis A virus (DHAV) is a highly contagious and lethal pathogen belonging to the Picornaviridae family, specifically the genus Avihepatovirus [1, 10]. It is the primary causative agent of duck viral hepatitis (DVH), a disease characterized by acute onset, rapid transmission, and high mortality rates in ducklings under six weeks of age [1, 2]. The virus primarily targets the liver, leading to severe hemorrhagic lesions, necrosis, and systemic metabolic derangements, often accompanied by neurological symptoms such as ataxia and opisthotonos [3, 8]. DHAV possesses a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome that encodes a polyprotein subsequently cleaved by the viral 3C protease into structural and non-structural proteins, including the 3D RNA-dependent RNA polymerase [6, 11]. Therapeutic strategies currently rely heavily on vaccination and passive immunization with egg yolk antibodies, as specific small-molecule antivirals are not yet commercially available [10, 12]. Research into molecular targets like the 3C protease and 3D polymerase is ongoing to develop effective treatments for outbreaks where vaccines fail due to serotype diversity or rapid viral evolution [12].

Other names

Duck viral hepatitis virusAvihepatovirusDuck hepatitis virus type 1Duck hepatitis virus type 2Duck hepatitis virus type 3DHV-1DHV-2DHV-3

Protease inhibition, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibition, Passive immunization, Active immunization