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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #287436

Title: Investigating the complex viral community of the turkey gut: an update from the laboratory and the field

Author
item Day, James

Submitted to: Annual North Carolina Turkey Industry Days
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/24/2012
Publication Date: 10/3/2012
Citation: Day, J.M. 2012. Investigating the complex viral community of the turkey gut: an update from the laboratory and the field. North Carolina Turkey Industry Days Proceedings. Avian Diseases. 7:1-4.

Interpretive Summary: Enteric disease is an ongoing problem for the poultry industry in the United States, yet remarkably little is known about the complex poultry gut microbial community and associated enteric disease syndromes such as Runting-Stunting Syndrome in broiler chickens and Poult Enteritis Complex in young turkeys. Recently, numerous enteric samples collected from turkey flocks in the southeastern United States have tested positive for turkey enteric coronavirus. This report details the subsequent analysis of the TCoV nucleic acid and the comparison of North Carolina TCoV isolates to sequences in the public database and to infectious bronchitis viruses circulating in North Carolina during 2012. Recent progress into investigations of the turkey gut viral community will also be discussed.

Technical Abstract: Periodic monitoring of poultry flocks in the United States via molecular diagnostic methods has revealed a number of potential enteric viral pathogens in continuous circulation in turkeys and chickens. Recently, numerous enteric samples collected from turkey flocks in the southeastern United States have tested positive for turkey enteric coronavirus (TCoV). This report details the subsequent sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the TCoV spike glycoprotein and the comparison of North Carolina TCoV isolates to sequences in the public database and to infectious bronchitis viruses circulating in North Carolina during 2012. Recent progress into investigations of the turkey gut viral community will also be discussed.