Experimental infection of turkey poults with western equine encephalitis virus.
The pathogenicity of a field isolate of western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus, which was recovered from a breeder hen during investigations of egg production drops in California turkey flocks, was tested in 2-wk-old turkey poults. No symptoms or mortality were observed in poults inoculated intramuscularly with 4.2 log10 50% embryo lethal doses of virus; however, the infection did result in mild to moderate lymphoid necrosis in the bursa of Fabricius and thymus glands beginning on the first day postinoculation. In addition, WEE virus could be isolated from the blood of infected poults for up to 3 days postinoculation.
Cooper
G L
GL
California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, Turlock Branch 95381, USA.
Medina
H A
HA
Woolcock
P R
PR
McFarland
M D
MD
Reynolds
B
B
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001284:Atrophy; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000473:pathology; D002140:California; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000821:virology; D004667:Encephalitis Virus, Western Equine / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D004683:Encephalomyelitis, Equine / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D010058:Oviposition; D011201:Poultry Diseases; D014422:Turkeys
D000914:Antibodies, Viral