Veterinary Research Communications

, Volume 38, Issue 2, pp 129–137 | Cite as

Longitudinal field studies of Avian Metapneumovirus and Turkey Hemorrhagic Enteritis Virus in turkeys suffering from colibacillosis associated mortality

  • Davide Giovanardi
  • Caterina Lupini
  • Patrizia Pesente
  • Giulia Rossi
  • Giovanni Ortali
  • Elena Catelli
Original Article
First Online:
Accepted:

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate if the exposure to Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) and/or to Turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus (THEV) was significant for the induction of episodes of colibacillosis in aMPV and THEV vaccinated turkeys. Colibacillosis-associated mortality was recorded and longitudinal virological studies performed in three consecutive turkey flocks reared in the same farm. aMPV and THEV diagnostic swabs and blood samples were made once a week up to 14 weeks of age. Swabs were processed by molecular techniques for viruses detection and antibody titres were evaluated. Field subtype B aMPVs were detected in all flocks at different ages of life always associated with respiratory signs and increase of colibacillosis-associated mortality. THEV has been consistently detected in all flocks since the 9th week of age. Vaccination with a single dose of the THEV commercial inactivated vaccine available in Italy seems does not protect the birds from the infection. Sequence comparison of the hexon protein of one of the THEV strains detected, and strains isolated worldwide, revealed high similarity between them. These results are consistent with the notion that the hexon protein, being the major antigenic component of the virus, is highly conserved between the strains. Results showed that field aMPV infection is directly correlated to colibacillosis-associated mortality. Less clear appears the role of THEV because the endemicity of aMPV makes difficult to evaluate its role in predisposing colibacillosis in absence of aMPV. It would be interesting to further investigate this issue through experimental trials in secure isolation conditions.

Keywords

Avian metapneumovirus Turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus Colibacillosis Turkeys 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

References

  1. Alessandri E, Della Valentina M, Vinco LJ (2008) Enterite Emorragica nel tacchino: Esperienze di campo. Atti della Società Italiana di Patologia Aviare 2008 In “Tavola Rotonda: Virosi emergenti e re-emergenti nell’allevamento avicolo”. Italy: Teramo May 16, 2008. 25–34Google Scholar
  2. Banet-Noach C, Simanov I, Laham-Karam N, Perk S, Bacharach E (2009) Longitudinal survey of avian metapneumoviruses in poultry in Israel: infiltration of field strains into vaccinated flocks. Avian Dis 53:184–189PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Barnes JH, Nolan LK, Vaillancourt JP (2008) Colibacillosis. In: Saif YM, Fadly AM, Glisson JR, McDougald LR, Nolan LK, Swayne DE (eds) Diseases of poultry, 12th edn. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, pp 691–737Google Scholar
  4. Beach NM, Duncan RB, Larsen CT, Meng XJ, Sriranganathan N, Pierson FW (2009a) Persistent infection of turkeys with an avirulent strain of turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus. Avian Dis 53:370–375PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. Beach NM, Duncan RB, Larsen CT, Meng XJ, Sriranganathan N, Pierson FW (2009b) Comparison of 12 turkey hemorrhagic enteritis virus isolates allows prediction of genetic factors affecting virulence. J Gen Virol 90:1978–1985PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. Brown PA, Lupini C, Catelli E, Clubbe J, Ricchizzi E, Naylor CJ (2011) A single polymerase (L) mutation in avian metapneumovirus increased virulence and partially maintained virus viability at an elevated temperature. J Gen Virol 92:346–54PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Catelli E, Cook JKA, Chesher J, Orbell SJ, Woods MA, Baxendale W, Huggins MB (1998) The use of virus isolation, histopathology and immunoperoxidase techniques to study the dissemination of a chicken isolate of avian pneumovirus in chickens. Avian Pathol 27:632–640PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Catelli E, Terregino C, De Marco MA, Delogu M, Guberti V (2001) Serological evidence of avian pneumovirus infection in reared and free-living pheasants. Vet Rec 149:56–58PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. Catelli E, Cecchinato M, Delogu M, De Matteo P, Ortali G, Franciosi C, De Marco A, Naylor CJ (2004) Avian pneumovirus infection in turkey and broiler farms in Italy: a virological, molecular and serological field survey. Ital J Anim Sci 3:287–292Google Scholar
  10. Catelli E, Cecchinato M, Savage CE, Jones RC, Naylor CJ (2006) Demonstration of loss of attenuation and extended field persistence of a live avian metapneumovirus vaccine. Vaccine 24:6476–6482PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Catelli E, Lupini C, Cecchinato M, Ricchizzi E, Brown P, Naylor CJ (2010) Field avian Metapneumovirus evolution avoiding vaccine induced immunity. Vaccine 28:916–921PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Cecchinato M, Catelli E, Lupini C, Ricchizzi E, Clubbe J, Battilani M, Naylor CJ (2010) Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) attachment protein involvement in probable virus evolution concurrent with mass live vaccine introduction. Vet Microbiol 146:24–34PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. Cecchinato M, Lupini C, Ricchizzi E, Falchieri M, Meini A, Jones RC, Catelli E (2012) Italian field survey reveals a high diffusion of avian metapneumovirus subtype B in layers and weaknesses in the vaccination strategy applied. Avian Dis 56:720–724PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Cecchinato M, Drigo M, Lupini C, Martini M, Listorti V, Franzo G, Bonci M, Laconi A, Morandini E, Catelli E (2013a) Diffusione dell’infezione da metapneumovirus aviare in allevamenti di tacchini e broiler nel Nord Italia. Large Animal Rev 19:267–270Google Scholar
  15. Cecchinato M, Lupini C, Munoz Pogoreltseva OS, Listorti V, Mondin A, Drigo M, Catelli E (2013b) Development of a real-time RT-PCR assay for the simultaneous identification, quantitation and differentiation of avian metapneumovirus subtypes A and B. Avian Pathol 42:283–289Google Scholar
  16. Ceruti R, Della Valentina M, Gavazzi L, Venni A, Ferrazzi V, Grilli G (2007) Haemorrhagic enteritis seroconversion in turkey breeders: field observations. Ital J Anim Sci 6:321–325Google Scholar
  17. Clark S (2011) Turkey Industry Annual Report -Current Health and Industry Issues Facing the Turkey Industry. Proc. 115th Annual Meeting Of The United States Animal Health Association, Buffalo, New York, September 29–October 5, 2011, pp. 433–438Google Scholar
  18. Giovanardi D, Lupini C, Pesente P, Rossi G, Ortali G, Catelli E (2013) Characterization and antimicrobial resistance analysis of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from Italian turkey flocks. Poult Sci 92:2661–2667PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Hess M, Raue R, Hafez HM (1999) PCR for specific detection of haemorrhagic enteritis virus of turkeys, an avian adenovirus. J Virol Methods 81:199–203PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. Koncicki A, Tykałowski B, Stenzel T, Smiałek M, Pestka D (2012) Effect of infection of turkeys with haemorrhagic enteritis adenovirus isolate on the selected parameters of cellular immunity and the course of colibacillosis. Pol J Vet Sci 15(2):215–220Google Scholar
  21. Larsen CT, Domermuth CH, Sponenberg DP, Gross WB (1985) Colibacillosis of Turkeys exacerbated by hemorrhagic enteritis virus. Laboratory studies. Avian Dis 29(3):729–732PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Listorti V, Lupini C, Cecchinato M, Pesente P, Rossi G, Naylor CJ, Catelli E (2014) Rapid detection of subtype B avian metapneumoviruses using RT-PCR restriction endonuclease digestion indicates field circulation of vaccine-derived viruses in older turkeys. Avian Pathol 43(1):51-56Google Scholar
  23. Mandelli G, Rampin T, Guidobono CL, Gallazzi D (1977) Enterite emorragica da adenovirus nel tacchino. Clin Vet 100:437–447Google Scholar
  24. Newberry LA, Skeeles JK, Kreider DL, Beasley JN, Story JD, McNew RW, Berridge BR (1993) Use of virulent hemorrhagic enteritis virus for the induction of colibacillosis in Turkeys. Avian Dis 37(1):1–5PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. Palya V, Nagy M, Glávits R, Ivanics E, Szalay D, Dán A, Süveges T, Markos B, Harrach B (2007) Investigation of field outbreaks of turkey Haemorrhagic enteritis in Hungary. Acta Vet Hung 55(1):135–149PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  26. Pierson FW, Fitzgerald SD (2008) Hemorrhagic enteritis and related infections. In: Saif YM, Fadly AM, Glisson JR, McDougald LR, Nolan LK, Swayne DE (eds) Diseases of poultry, 12th edn. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, pp 276–286Google Scholar
  27. Pierson FW, Larsen CT, Domermuth CH (1996a) The production of colibacillosis in turkeys following sequential exposure to Newcastle disease virus or Bordetella avium, avirulent hemorrhagic enteritis virus, and Escherichia coli. Avian Dis 40:837–840PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Pierson FW, Barta VD, Boyd D, Thompson WS (1996b) Exposure to multiple infectious agents and the development of colibacillosis in turkeys. J Appl Poult Res 5:347–357CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Rautenschlein S, Sharma JM (2000) Immunopathogenesis of haemorragic enteritis virus (HEV) in turkeys. Dev Comp Immunol 24:237–246PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Saunders GK, Pierson FW, Van Den Hurk JV (1993) Haemorhagic enteritis virus infection in turkeys: a comparison of virulent and avirulent virus infections, and a proposed pathogenesis. Avian Pathol 22:47–58PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  31. Sponenberg DP, Domermuth CH, Larsen CT (1985) Field outbreaks of colibacillosis of turkeys associated with hemorrhagic enteritis virus. Avian Dis 29:838–842PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. Turpin EA, Perkins LE, Swayne DE (2002) Experimental infection of turkeys with avian pneumovirus and either Newcastle disease virus or Escherichia coli. Avian Dis 46:412–422Google Scholar
  33. Van den Hurk J, Allan BJ, Riddell C, Watts T, Potter AA (1994) Effect of infection with hemorrhagic enteritis virus on susceptibility of turkeys to Escherichia coli. Avian Dis 38(4):708–716Google Scholar
  34. Van de Zande S, Nauwynck H, Cavanagh D, Pensaert M (1998) Infections and reinfections with avian pneumovirus subtype A and B on Belgian turkey farms and relation to respiratory problems. J Vet Med B 45:621–626CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  35. Van de Zande S, Nauwynck H, Pensaert M (2001) The clinical, pathological and microbiological outcome of an Escherichia coli O2:K1 infection in avian pneumovirus infected turkeys. Vet Microbiol 81:353–365PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Authors and Affiliations

  • Davide Giovanardi
    • 1
  • Caterina Lupini
    • 2
  • Patrizia Pesente
    • 1
  • Giulia Rossi
    • 1
  • Giovanni Ortali
    • 3
  • Elena Catelli
    • 2
  1. 1.Tre Valli LaboratorySan Michele Extra VeronaItaly
  2. 2.Department of Veterinary Medical SciencesUniversity of BolognaOzzano dell’ Emilia BolognaItaly
  3. 3.Agricola Tre ValliQuinto di Valpantena VeronaItaly

Personalised recommendations