Objectives: Avian nephritis virus has been associated with diarrhea, growth retardation, nephritis and runting-stunting syndrome in broiler chicken. The importance of the virus as causative agent of acute kidney disease has been documented. In this article, for the first time, molecular detection and partial characterization of ANV in broiler baby chickens suffering from kidney lesions is reported in Iran. Materials & Methods: Fourty-eight kidney and feces specimens from affected chickens in broiler flocks with entritis, kidney lesion and nephritis were collected. RNA were isolated. The integrity of extracted RNA samples was tested. RTPCR assay employed for ANV detection. RT-PCR assay also conducted for IBV detection on kidney samples. The flocks were inspected for water deprivation and mycotoxicosis. The Amplified products of ANV were sequenced. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequence of amplicons were analyzed and compared with counterpart sequences in genetic databases followed by phylogenetic analysis. Results & Conclusion: No IBV assay was positive. No evidence for water deprivation and mycotoxicosis was found. RNA integrity of extracted RNA samples were confirmed. RT-PCR assay detected 21 positive samples out of 48 samples. Sequence analysis verified the identity of ANV. It showed the highest identity with the nucleotide sequence of ANV in BLAST search. Phylogenetic tree of the Iranian strain clustered with reference ANV strain. Isolation, phenotyping, pathotyping and pathogenecity studies are needed for full characterization of the virus. Significance and economical impact of disease is unknown and has to be assessed. To our knowledge it is a first report of Avian nephritis virus infection with the history of kidney lesions and nephritis, diarrhea, growth retardation in baby chicken in Iran, more specifically in Northeast of country.

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