In new research published in the journal Viruses, Mark Parcells, a University of Delaware professor of molecular virology, colleagues at UD and in Nigeria and Germany suggest that outbreaks of Marek’s disease virus in Nigeria were caused by genetic variation in the viral oncogene, a gene called meq, that also apparently mediates resistance to vaccines. The findings give insight into how the virus could continue to evolve, not just in Nigeria, but along the Delmarva Peninsula, where the poultry industry is essential for the region’s economy.
