EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION OF SPECIFIC-PATHOGEN-FREE TURKEY POULTS WITH SINGLE AND COMBINED ENTEROVIRUS AND GROUP-A ROTAVIRUS

This study was designed to investigate the effects of orally administe red single and combined enterovirus and group A rotavirus in specific- pathogen-free poults of different ages. Clinical signs, body-weight ga in, D-xylose absorption, and morphometric analysis revealed that poult s given the combined enterovirus/rotavirus inoculum were more severely affected than poults that received either inoculum alone. The poults developed a malabsorption syndrome early in the disease process, but b y day 8 postinoculation poults had regained normal intestinal absorpti ve capacity. Poults inoculated with enterovirus alone at 2 and 3 weeks of age were more severely affected, as shown by some of the parameter s measured, than those inoculated at 3 days of age.