Key result
Avian orthoreovirus in China shows rising diversity and reassortment, requiring genome-informed prevention.
Why the study?
Avian orthoreovirus has re-emerged with expanding genotypic diversity, reassortment, and vaccine-breakthrough outbreaks in China, altering understanding of its epidemiology and immunopathology.
This review highlights the evolving epidemiological landscape of avian orthoreovirus in China and emphasizes the need for genome-informed prevention strategies in poultry management.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May guide ARV surveillance in poultry; leaves open prospective validation of integrated controls.
Avian orthoreovirus (ARV) has re-emerged as one of the most important viral pathogens affecting modern poultry production worldwide. In China, the epidemiological landscape of ARV has undergone a substantial transformation over the past decade, characterized by increasing genotypic diversity, frequent genome reassortment, an expanding host range, and recurrent vaccine-breakthrough outbreaks. Growing evidence indicates that contemporary ARV populations evolve within a dynamic multispecies transmission network shaped by intensive poultry production, host adaptation, and vaccine-associated selective pressures. Recent molecular studies have revealed extensive genetic heterogeneity among circulating strains and highlighted the limitations of conventional σC-based classification systems for accurately describing viral evolution, pathogenicity, and antigenic diversity. Whole-genome analyses further demonstrate that reassortment among chicken-origin, duck-origin, and goose-origin orthoreoviruses plays a pivotal role in generating novel viral variants with altered biological properties. In parallel, accumulating evidence suggests that ARV exerts broad immunomodulatory effects through the disruption of innate antiviral signaling, impairment of lymphoid organ function, interference with vaccine responsiveness, and the enhancement of susceptibility to secondary infections. These findings indicate that ARV should be regarded not only as an arthrotropic pathogen but also as an important immunopathological agent influencing flock health and productivity. This review summarizes current knowledge of ARV in China, with an emphasis on molecular epidemiology, genomic evolution, reassortment mechanisms, transmission ecology, immune interference, vaccine escape, and integrated prevention strategies. Particular attention is given to the increasing importance of whole-genome surveillance, phylodynamic analysis, and multispecies epidemiological monitoring for understanding contemporary ARV evolution. Future perspectives involving structural vaccinology, precision immunization, metagenomics-assisted surveillance, and predictive evolutionary modeling are also discussed. Collectively, sustainable ARV control will likely require genome-informed and adaptive prevention frameworks integrating virology, immunology, epidemiology, and precision poultry management.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Yin et al. (2026) conducted a review in Avian orthoreovirus (ARV) infection. Avian orthoreovirus in China exhibits increasing genotypic diversity and frequent genome reassortment, acting as a broad immunomodulatory agent that requires genome-informed prevention frameworks.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: