INCLUSION-BODY TRACHEITIS ASSOCIATED WITH AVIAN ADENOVIRUS IN TURKEYS- CASE-REPORT

Nine turkey flecks with basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies, sugg estive of adenovirus, within the epithelial cells of the tracheal muco sa were studied. Respiratory signs and increased mortality occurred in turkeys between 6 and 10 wk of age from nine commercial turkey meat f locks in central California. Necropsy findings included tracheitis and occasional mild sinusitis. Histopathology of the tracheas revealed ep ithelial deciliation, squamous metaplasia, large basophilic intranucle ar inclusion bodies within epithelial cells, and lymphoplasmatic infla mmation in the mucosa. Electron microscopy of the mucosa revealed hexa gonal viral particles, approximately 73 nm in diameter consistent with adenovirus within the nuclei of epithelial cells. All tracheal sectio ns were negative for adenovirus group II by specific immunoperoxidase staining. Adenovirus group I was isolated from the trachea. In additio n, Bordetella avium, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, and Klebsiella p neumoniae were isolated from the tracheas of three, three, and two flo cks, respectively. Statistically greater total mortality and a smaller percentage of marketed turkeys were observed in the submitted flocks than in randomly selected flocks. No significant difference was observ ed between the two turkey groups in market weight, feed conversion, or percentage of grade ''A'' turkeys.