EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSION OF EASTERN EQUINE-ENCEPHALITIS VIRUS AND HIGHLANDS-J VIRUS VIA SEMEN OF INFECTED TOM TURKEYS

Tom turkeys were experimentally inoculated with eastern equine encepha litis (EEE) virus or Highlands J (HJ) virus; semen was examined for pr esence of virus and ability to transmit infection by artificial insemi nation. Mild depression and inappetence were observed in tom turkeys i noculated with either EEE virus or HJ virus. Toms were viremic on days 1-2 postinoculation (PI), and virus was shed in semen on days 1-5 PI. Semen collected from EEE-virus-inoculated or HJ-virus-inoculated toms on days 1-2 PI and inseminated into turkey breeder hens transmitted t he infection. EEE virus was detected in one of 10 hens after inseminat ion with semen from EEE-virus-inoculated toms, and HJ virus was detect ed in three of 10 hens after insemination with Semen from HJ-virus-ino culated toms. These results indicate that semen is a potential vehicle for transmission of EEE virus and HJ virus.