ANALYSIS OF THE DOUBLE-STRANDED-RNA GENOME SEGMENTS AMONG AVIAN REOVIRUS FIELD ISOLATES

Nine isolates of avian reovirus (ARV) from both healthy birds and bird s with different clinical illness and one commercially available vacci ne strain were selected and characterized by analysis of the migration pattern of their genomic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments followi ng separation by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Different electro pherotypes were observed and analyzed. The results show that the dsRNA segments of ARV were markedly polymorphic among isolates within the s ame serotype as well as among different serotypes. The results also sh ow no correlation between electropherotype and disease state.