Multicentric T-cell lymphoma in a domestic turkey

Authors: FORD, ALENADRA - Kansas State University; WATANABE, TATIANE - North Carolina State University; FENTON, HEATHER - Ross University; Dunn, John; SHIVAPRASAD, H.L. - University Of California, Davis; WILLIAMS, SUSAN - University Of Georgia; WAKAMATSU, NOBUKO - Purdue University

Submitted to: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2022
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A 2-year-old, female domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) from a backyard flock was submitted for postmortem examination. Other birds from the same flock were not reported to be sick or presented with any clinical signs. There are three avian tumor viruses associated with causing tumors in turkeys, but in this case all tests for these viruses were negative. In the absence of detection of a virus in this case, a spontaneous non-infectious neoplastic process must be considered. Cases of viral-induced neoplasia are rarely reported in backyard poultry, but these may be under diagnosed because full work-ups including retroviral testing are not always pursued. Clinicians should be aware of viral-induced and spontaneous neoplasms as causes of non-specific clinical signs and skin lesions in domestic, backyard turkeys.

Technical Abstract: A 2-year-old, female domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) from a backyard flock weighing 2.9 kg with a history of weight loss and blindness was submitted for postmortem examination. Other birds from the same flock were not reported to be sick or presented with any clinical signs. In turkeys, lymphoproliferative disease virus and reticuloendotheliosis virus are the most commonly reported oncogenic retroviruses associated with neoplasms, and Marek’s disease virus, which is the oncogenic herpesvirus (Gallid alphaherpesvirus 2) is less likely. In this case, a virus associated with neoplasia was not detected, but as false negatives can occur with any PCR-based testing viral involvement cannot be completely ruled out. However, the absence of detection of a virus in this case suggests that a spontaneous non-infectious neoplastic process must be considered. Cases of viral-induced neoplasia are rarely reported in backyard poultry, but these may be under diagnosed because full work-ups including retroviral testing are not always pursued. Clinicians should be aware of viral-induced and spontaneous neoplasms as causes of non-specific clinical signs and skin lesions in domestic, backyard turkeys.