Identification and epidemiology of a novel in domestic ducks in Hunan province, China.

The genus comprises a diverse range of genetically distinct viruses that infect both mammalian and non-mammalian hosts, with some posing significant risks to human and animal health. Members of the genus are typically classified into fourteen species (), with ongoing discoveries of novel hepaciviruses like and . In this study, a novel was identified in duck liver samples collected from live poultry markets in Hunan province, China, using unbiased high-throughput sequencing and meta-transcriptomic analysis. Through sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis, it was determined that this newly discovered belongs to a new subspecies of . Moreover, molecular screening revealed the widespread circulation of this novel virus among duck populations in various regions of Hunan province, with an overall prevalence of 13.3%. These findings significantly enhence our understanding of the genetic diversity and evolution of hepaciviruses, emphasizing the presence of genetically diverse hepaciviruses duck populations in China. Given the broad geographical distribution and relatively high positive rate, further investigations are essential to explore any potential associations between and duck-related diseases.