title: Human metapneumovirus in turkey poults.
abstract: This study was conducted to reexamine the hypothesis that human metapneumovirus (hMPV) will not infect turkeys. Six groups of 2-week-old turkeys (20 per group) were inoculated oculonasally with 1 of the following: noninfected cell suspension; hMPV genotype A1, A2, B1, or B2; or avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) subtype C. Poults inoculated with hMPV showed nasal discharge days 4-9 postexposure. Specific viral RNA and antigen were detected by reverse-transcription PCR and immunohistochemical evaluation, respectively, in nasal turbinates of birds exposed to hMPV. Nasal turbinates of hMPV-infected turkeys showed inflammatory changes and mucus accumulation. Each of the 4 hMPV genotypes caused a transient infection in turkeys as evidenced by clinical signs, detection of hMPV in turbinates, and histopathologic examination. Detailed investigation of cross-species pathogenicity of hMPV and aMPV and its importance for human and animal health is needed.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Binu T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Velayudhan
authors.forename: Kakambi V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Nagaraja
authors.forename: Anil J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Thachil
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Gregory C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Halvorson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002460:Cell Line; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D008168:Lung / Q000821:virology; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D014132:Trachea / Q000821:virology; D014422:Turkeys
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral