In a natural outbreak of enteric disease in turkey poults, Salmonella, group D rotavirus, astrovirus, and a small (18-24 nm) round virus were detected in the gut contents. Except for the small virus, the pathogenic potential of the other agents is recognized. In experiments, the small round virus was shown to be transmissible and pathogenic in specific-pathogen-free turkey poults.
One hundred forty-eight Pasteurella multocida isolates from four southeastern states and California were serotyped by a gel diffusion precipitin test. The isolates were predominantly from turkeys and chickens. Sixty-eight percent of the isolates had antigenic characteristics of serotypes 3 and 4 (3 X 4). In turkeys, 76% of the isolates were 3 X 4, and serotype 3 was second (17%) in frequency. In chickens, 54% of the isolates were 3 X 4 and 19% were serotype 1.
Mutagenesis of the Clemson University (CU) vaccine strain of Pasteurella multocida with N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine resulted in temperature-sensitive mutants that grew at 37 C but not at 42 C. Seven such mutants were evaluated for immunogenicity in turkeys. From these seven, only two, PM#1 and PM#3, provided turkeys with a level of protection against challenge with a virulent serotype 3 P. multocida strain (P-1059) comparable to the protection provided by the CU strain. Intravenous (IV) inoculation of PM#1, PM#3, or CU was used to assess differences in virulence. PM#1 and PM#3 resulted in lower rates of mortality and lameness than the CU strain. Histopathological evaluation of spleens 24, 48, and 72 hours after IV inoculation demonstrated that the CU strain induced significantly more fibrinoid necrosis of the spleen than either PM#1 or PM#3.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.