Specific mucosal IgA immunity in turkey poults infected with turkey coronavirus

The objective of this study was to elucidate the kinetics and magnitudes of specific IgA antibody responses in intestines of turkey poults infected with turkey coronavirus (TCV). Turkey poults were orally inoculated with TCV at 10 days of age. Intestinal segment cultures were administered for duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and the IgA antibody responses were analyzed at 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 9 weeks post-infection (PI) in two different experiments. The kinetics of virus-specific IgA antibody responses in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were similar: gradually increased from 1 week PI, reached the peak at 3 or 4 weeks PI, and declined afterward. The virus-specific IgA antibody responses in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum showed negative correlation with duration of TCV antigen in the corresponding locations of intestine with Spearman's correlation coefficient of -0.85 (p=0.034), -0.74 (p=0.096), and -0.75 (p=0.084), respectively. Moreover, the virus-specific IgA antibody responses in serum were positively correlated with that of duodenum (coefficient=0.829, p=0.042), jejunum (coefficient=0.829, p=0.042), and ileum (coefficient=0.771, p=0.072) segment cultures, suggesting that the induction of specific IgA response in serum was predictive of an IgA response in intestine. The results indicate that intestinal mucosal IgA antibodies to TCV are elicited in turkeys following infection with TCV. The local mucosal antibodies may provide protective immunity for infected turkeys to recover from TCV infection.     

The effect of immunosuppression on protective immunity of turkey poults against infection with turkey coronavirus

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of humoral and cellular immunities on turkeys infected with turkey coronavirus (TCV). Two trials were conducted with two separate hatches of turkey poults. Turkey's were experimentally immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A (CsA) or cyclophosphamide (CY) and infected with TCV. Prior to infection, treatment with CsA selectively suppressed T cell activity as revealed by 2-3 fold decreased (p < 0.1) lymphocyte proliferation responses to a T cell mitogen, concanavalin A (Con A). Treatment with CY mainly induced B cell deficiency as indicated by significant reductions (p < 0.05) in antibody responses to sheep erythrocytes 7 days after injection. Body weight gain of turkeys treated with CY was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of untreated turkeys at 9 days post-infection (PI). Turkeys treated with CY had 1-2 fold higher immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA) scores for TCV antigens (p < 0.05) in the intestine than untreated turkeys at 9 or 14 days PI. These results suggested that humoral immunity against TCV infection may be important in turkeys.     

Brain monoamine concentrations in turkey poults infected with Bordetella avium

Six hours post-hatch, large white turkey poults were inoculated intranasally with 5 X 10(7) organisms of the "W" isolate of Bordetella avium. Three hours after inoculation and subsequently on days 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28 postinoculation, 30 infected and 30 uninfected control poults were injected intramuscularly with alpha methylparatyrosine (AMPT, 250 mg/kg), and an additional 30 of each group received a saline vehicle. Three hours after AMPT injection, whole brains from treated and untreated poults from both infected and control groups were removed, weighed, and frozen until assayed for norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and serotonin (5-HT). B. avium-infected poults had a significant reduction in steady-state NE and Da and a greater depletion of NE and DA after AMPT treatment compared with control poults. Infected poults had significantly reduced whole brain 5-HT concentrations, which persisted through 21 days postinoculation. Altered brain NE, DA, and 5-HT concentrations suggest that the B. avium-infected poults may be less able to cope with additional stressors.     

Efficacy trials in turkey poults with tylosin tartrate against Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma meleagridis.

Tylosin tartrate, administered in the drinking water at a concentration of 0.55 g/litre for the first three days after hatching, was highly effective in controlling the adverse consequences of a Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection, established by air sac injection at one day of age, in turkey poults. Tylosin was ineffective in controlling M meleagridis infections established in embryo or at one day of age when administered in the drinking water of poults. Both mycoplasma isolates used were inhibited in vitro by a tylosin concentration of 0.1 mug/ml.     

Efficacy of lincomycin-spectinomycin water medication on Mycoplasma meleagridis airsacculitis in commercially reared turkey poults

A field trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of a combination of the drugs lincomycin and spectinomycin (LS) with Tylan (tylosin, T) against Mycoplasma meleagridis (MM) airsacculitis in 50,320 commercially reared turkey poults in Ohio. Both drugs were administered at 2 g per gallon of drinking water for the first 5 days of life. The poults were allotted randomly to two treatment groups with 8 or 5 replicates each. Initially, 250 poults were weighed, necropsied, and examined microbiologically and grossly for airsacculitis. At 3 weeks of age, 33 poults from each replicate were randomly selected, necropsied, and examined for airsacculitis. The data indicate that LS is superior to T as an aid in the control of MM airsacculitis in poults, as reflected by fewer air-sac lesions and greater improvement in weight gain (P less than 0.05).     

Infection of turkeys with Histomonas meleagridis by the cloacal drop method

The infection of turkeys with Histomonas meleagridis was attempted in the absence of its normal vector Heterakis gallinarum, using several experimental techniques. Battery-reared poults were inoculated at 2 wk of age with histomonads cultured in vitro, by several routes, including (a) per os (PO), (b) intradoacal (CI), and (c) cloacal drop (CD). Feed restriction was also studied as a predisposing factor. Intracloacal inoculation (CI) consistently produced severe infections in all experiments. In several experiments, turkeys did not become infected after inoculation PO with 1 x 10(5) cultured histomonads. Feed restriction prior to inoculation did not make turkeys susceptible to infection inoculated PO. However, when liquid cultures containing histomonads were applied to the vent (CD) and the dorsal lip stimulated to initiate cloacal drinking, the histomonads were taken into the cloaca and transported to the ceca by retrograde peristalsis. Heavy infections were produced by this method, with severe liver and cecal lesions recorded when birds were necropsied 12 days later. These results suggest that CD may provide ready entry into the lower intestinal tract for these parasites and may facilitate spread of infection through flocks.     

In vitro cellular migration of leukocytes from turkey poults infected with Alcaligenes faecalis

The ability of peripheral blood leukocytes from young turkey poults to migrate in vitro was investigated. Migration from capillary tubes was relatively rapid and was usually complete in 2 hours. Leukocyte migration was significantly enhanced in Alcaligenes faecalis-infected turkeys compared with uninfected controls at 1, 2, 5, and 6 weeks of age.     

鸡组织滴虫病PCR病原学诊断方法的建立

为建立鸡组织滴虫(H.meleagridis)的PCR检测方法,本研究以确诊的感染火鸡组织滴虫的阳性鸡的肝组织DNA为模板,设计针对18S rRNA基因高度保守的特异性引物,建立组织滴虫病的PCR诊断方法。敏感性试验显示阳性样品组织DNA的最低检出限为4 ng/μL。特异性试验表明与其他常见鸡寄生虫的DNA样品均无交叉反应。该PCR方法对临床样品的检出率为100%,与组织病理学诊断结果符合率为100%。该诊断方法敏感、特异,可以用于组织滴虫病的临床诊断。     

鹧鸪组织滴虫病的诊治

1999年6月,我市某鹧鸪养殖户饲养的鹧鸪,发生以下痢、消瘦、肝脏见“火山口“状坏死灶及盲肠溃疡为特征的疫病,经实验室诊断为组织滴虫病.现报告如下.1发病情况及症状该养殖户共饲养鹧鸪578只,其中成年鹧鸪141只,1～5月龄青年鹧鸪437只,饲喂自制饲料,按常规免疫程序进行预防接种. 　　……     

Persistence of Histomonas meleagridis in or on materials used in poultry houses

Histomonas meleagridis is the causative agent of blackhead disease or histomonosis in turkeys, and previous research suggests that this parasite survives poorly outside of hosts except within heterakid nematodes. However, we investigated the viability of H. meleagridis in or on several artificially contaminated materials kept at ambient room temperature (22 +/- 2 C) to mimic the situation in the field. The protozoan survived for up to 1 hr on wood, rubber, and metal; up to 3 hr on egg-tray cartons, egg shells, and bricks; up to 6 hr on straw, turkey feathers, and feed; and up to 9 hr in nonchlorinated tap water and fecal matter. Therefore, contaminated water, fresh fecal matter, or both could play a role in transmission of the parasite within and among poultry houses rather than other materials tested in this study.     

Enteric viral infections of turkey poults: incidence of infection

Four flocks from one commercial market-turkey operation in Ohio were monitored for the presence of enteric viruses. Each flock was sampled at intervals from placement until at least 7 weeks of age; sampling was more frequent in the first 4 weeks of life. The earliest infections detected were astrovirus infections or combination infections of astrovirus and rotavirus-like virus (RVLV) or astrovirus and rotavirus. During the first 4 weeks of life, astrovirus was the most frequently detected virus, followed by RVLV, then rotavirus. These viruses were seldom detected beyond 4 weeks of age. In three of the four flocks, no viruses were detected in samples collected before 6 days of age; in one flock, however, rotavirus and astrovirus were identified from samples collected at 3 days of age. Experimental infection of specific-pathogen-free poults with astrovirus and RVLV produced enteric diseases in poults and demonstrated that astrovirus was shed into the intestinal tract before RVLV. Poults experimentally infected with astrovirus and RVLV displayed clinical signs of diarrhea and upon necropsy exhibited dilated ceca, frothy gaseous intestinal contents, and loss of intestinal tone.     

黄黑麻鸡组织滴虫的诊治

作者对广州及珠江三角洲一带地面散养黄黑麻鸡的发病鸡，经与球虫病、禽流感、慢性鸡新城疫的鉴别诊断，确诊为鸡组织滴虫病，继而采用呋喃唑酮0．04％拌料，或甲硝唑0．08％，再加青链霉素及Vc,Vk3等治疗，3天内治愈。     

Evaluation of dietary Natustat for control of Histomonas meleagridis in male turkeys on infected litter

Histomoniasis (histomonosis, infectious enterohepatitis, or blackhead) is a disease of turkeys on litter or range caused by the protozoan Histomonas meleagridis, a parasite of worms, primarily spread in feces, in Heterakis gallinarum (cecal worm) eggs, or in Eisenia foetida (earthworms). In this trial, Natustat (Alltech, Inc., Nicholasville, KY), a proprietary plant-derived product, was used at 1.925 kg/tonne and compared with nitarsone in male hybrid turkey diets to 42 days of age on histomonad infected litter (day 7) from broiler breeders. Infected nonsupplemented and uninfected nonsupplemented control groups were also included. Natustat and nitarsone significantly improved 28- and 42-day feed conversion ratios and lowered 28- and 35-day cecal and liver lesion scores compared with infected nonsupplemented turkeys. The body weight at 42 days was greater in the Natustat and nitarsone supplemented groups than in the infected nonsupplemented group.