PATHOGEN SURVEY AND PREDICTORS OF LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASE VIRUS INFECTION IN WILD TURKEYS (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO)

Stephanie A Shea; Matthew Gonnerman; Erik Blomberg; Kelsey Sullivan; Peter Milligan; Pauline L Kamath

doi:10.7589/JWD-D-21-00152

PATHOGEN SURVEY AND PREDICTORS OF LYMPHOPROLIFERATIVE DISEASE VIRUS INFECTION IN WILD TURKEYS (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO)

J Wildl Dis. 2022 Jul 1;58(3):537-549. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00152.

Authors

Stephanie A Shea¹, Matthew Gonnerman², Erik Blomberg², Kelsey Sullivan³, Peter Milligan⁴, Pauline L Kamath¹

Affiliations

¹ University of Maine, School of Food and Agriculture, 5735 Hitchner Hall, Orono, Maine 04469, USA.
² University of Maine, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, 5755 Nutting Hall, Orono, Maine 04469, USA.
³ Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 106 Hogan Road, Bangor, Maine 04401, USA.
⁴ University of Maine at Augusta, College of Arts and Sciences, 102A Jewitt Hall, Augusta, Maine 04330, USA.

PMID: 35704504
DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00152

Abstract

Growing populations of Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) may result in increased disease transmission among wildlife and spillover to poultry. Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) is an avian retrovirus that is widespread in Wild Turkeys of eastern North America, and infections may influence mortality and parasite co-infections. We aimed to identify individual and spatial risk factors of LPDV in Maine's Wild Turkeys. We also surveyed for co-infections between LPDV and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and Salmonella pullorum to estimate trends in prevalence and examine covariance with LPDV. From 2017 to 2020, we sampled tissues from hunter-harvested (n=72) and live-captured (n=627) Wild Turkeys, in spring and winter, respectively, for molecular detection of LPDV and REV. In a subset of captured individuals (n=235), we estimated seroprevalence of the bacteria M. gallisepticum and S. pullorum using a plate agglutination test. Infection rates for LPDV and REV were 59% and 16% respectively, with a co-infection rate of 10%. Seroprevalence for M. gallisepticum and S. pullorum were 74% and 3.4%, with LPDV co-infection rates of 51% and 2.6%, respectively. Infection with LPDV and seroprevalence of M. gallisepticum and S. pullorum decreased, whereas REV infection increased, between 2018 and 2020. Females (64%), adults (72%), and individuals sampled in spring (76%) had higher risks of LPDV infection than males (47%), juveniles (39%), and individuals sampled in winter (57%). Furthermore, LPDV infection increased with percent forested cover (β=0.014±0.007) and decreased with percent agriculture cover for juveniles (β=-0.061±0.018) sampled in winter. These data enhance our understanding of individual and spatial predictors of LPDV infection in Wild Turkeys and aid in assessing the associated risk to Wild Turkey populations and poultry operations.

Keywords: Meleagris gallopavo; LPDV; Wild Turkey disease; lymphoproliferative disease virus; pathogen; poultry; risk factor.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Alpharetrovirus*
Animals
Animals, Wild
Bird Diseases* / epidemiology
Coinfection* / epidemiology
Coinfection* / veterinary
Female
Male
Poultry
Reticuloendotheliosis virus*
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Turkeys
Virus Diseases* / veterinary