Duck circovirus

The Duck circovirus (DuCV) is a type of virus found in ducks. Strains of the virus have predominantly been found in China, though strains have also been isolated from ducks in Germany and the United States. Duck circovirus is a small nonenveloped virus with a monomeric single-stranded circular DNA genome. DuCV has been clustered in the Circoviridae family genus Circovirus, according to the eighth report of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Scientists have studied the Duck circovirus by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods and dot blot hybridisation (DBH) tests. Infection with DuCV appears to cause growth disorders in ducks as well as eventual immunosuppression due to depletion of lymphatic cells. It was found that ducks between the ages of 40∼60 days were more susceptible to Duck circovirus. There was no evidence showing that the DuCV virus was capable of vertical transmission.