Decreased egg production in turkeys experimentally infected with eastern equine encephalitis virus or Highlands J virus.
Turkey breeder hens were experimentally infected with strains of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus or Highlands J (HJ) virus previously isolated from turkey hens experiencing decreased egg production. Depression and inappetance were observed on day 1 postexposure (PE) in hens inoculated with either EEE virus or HJ virus, and egg production fell in each virus-inoculated group from approximately 75% to less than 20% within 2-3 days PE. Egg production remained depressed (less than 20%) for 15 days in EEE-virus-inoculated hens and for 7 days in HJ-virus-inoculated hens. EEE virus and HJ virus were recovered from various tissues on days 1-5 PE, and virus was detected in eggs laid on days 2-5 PE. The findings of this study confirm that EEE virus and HJ virus are potential causes of decreased egg production in turkey breeder hens.
Guy
J S
JS
Department of Microbiology, Pathology, and Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27606.
Barnes
H J
HJ
Ficken
M D
MD
Smith
L G
LG
Emory
W H
WH
Wages
D P
DP
D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D004663:Encephalitis Virus, Eastern Equine / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D004683:Encephalomyelitis, Equine / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D010058:Oviposition; D010063:Ovum / Q000473:pathology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D014422:Turkeys / Q000502:physiology / Q000821:virology