Detection of Astrovirus, Coronavirus and Haemorrhagic Enteritis Virus in Turkeys with Poult Enteritis Mortality Syndrome in Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the presence of turkey astrovirus 2 (TAstV-2), turkey coronavirus (TCoV) and haemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) by molecular methods in cloacal swabs collected from both clinically healthy turkey flocks and those associated with poult enteritis mortality syndrome (PEMS) in Turkey. In the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) examination of 230 cloacal swabs collected from 23 turkey flocks associated with PEMS, TAstV-2 was detected in 13.4% (31/230) of the animals and in 43.4% (10/23) of the flocks. In addition, this virus was found in two turkeys originating from one of the four clinically healthy flocks. On the other hand, neither TCoV nor HEV were detected in any of the turkey samples examined in this study. In the partial sequence analysis of four randomly selected DNA samples, 96% nucleotide identity was observed between our strains and reference Turkey astrovirus isolated from turkeys in Italy between 2000 and 2004 (sequence accession number DQ381378.1).

Molecular Epidemiology of Turkey Coronaviruses in Poland

“…Furthermore, a similar seroprevalence of almost 74% in breeder turkeys and 60% in meat-type animals in Canadian commercial flocks were noted [ 31 ]. TCoV was also not detected in studies of healthy and diseased turkey flocks in Turkey [ 32 ]. The TCoV prevalence results obtained in the presented study have already been partially analyzed for the statistical relationship between the prevalence of four enteric viruses (astrovirus, coronavirus, parvovirus and rotavirus) in meat-type turkey flocks with the health status and the age of birds.…”

Haemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys – current knowledge

“…Salmonella spp. and Lawsonia intracellularis (Li) are accountable for causing enteric diseases in turkeys (Barnes et al 2000;Woolcocka & Shivaprasad 2008;Moura-Alvarez et al 2013;Mettifogo et al 2014;Moura-Alvarez et al 2014;Ongor et al 2015). Of note, some of these pathogens continuously persist in turkey flocks for the entire life (Pantin-Jackwood et al 2007;Beach et al 2009a).…”