High prevalence of turkey parvovirus in turkey flocks from Hungary experiencing enteric disease syndromes

Avian Dis. 2011 Sep;55(3):468-75. doi: 10.1637/9688-021711-ResNote.1.

Abstract

Samples collected in 2008 and 2009, from 49 turkey flocks of 6 to 43 days in age and presenting clinical signs of enteric disease and high mortality, were tested by polymerase chain reaction and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for the presence of viruses currently associated with enteric disease (ED) syndromes: astrovirus, reovirus, rotavirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, and parvovirus. Turkey astroviruses were found in 83.67% of the cases and turkey astrovirus 2 (TAst-2) in 26.53%. The investigations directly demonstrated the high prevalence of turkey parvovirus (TuPV) in 23 flocks (46.9%) experiencing signs of ED, making this pathogen the second most identified after astroviruses. Phylogenetic analysis on a 527 base pair-long region from the NS1 gene revealed two main clusters, a chicken parvovirus (ChPV) and a TuPV group, but also the presence of a divergent branch of tentatively named "TuPV-like ChPV" strains. The 23 Hungarian TuPV strains were separately positioned in two groups from the American origin sequences in the TuPV cluster. An Avail-based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay has also been developed for the quick differentiation of TuPV, ChPV, and divergent TuPV-like ChPV strains. As most detected enteric viruses have been directly demonstrated in healthy turkey flocks as well, the epidemiology of this disease complex remains unclear, suggesting that a certain combination of pathogens, environmental factors, or both are necessary for the development of clinical signs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics
  • Adenoviridae / isolation & purification
  • Adenoviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Adenoviridae Infections / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Genetic Variation
  • Hungary / epidemiology
  • Parvoviridae Infections / epidemiology
  • Parvoviridae Infections / veterinary*
  • Parvovirus / classification
  • Parvovirus / genetics*
  • Parvovirus / isolation & purification*
  • Phylogeny
  • Poultry Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Prevalence
  • RNA Virus Infections / epidemiology
  • RNA Virus Infections / veterinary
  • RNA Viruses / genetics
  • RNA Viruses / isolation & purification
  • Turkeys