Further characterization of an avian adenovirus associated with inclusion body hepatitis in bobwhite quails

An adenovirus (isolate 1452) associated with inclusion body hepatitis of bobwhite quails (Colinus virginianus) was characterized as a group I, serotype 1 avian adenovirus and was indistinguishable from quail bronchitis virus. Bobwhite quails were inoculated via the intratracheal or intraperitoneal route with 10(6) mean tissue-culture infective dose of isolate 1452 at 1, 3, 6, or 9 weeks of age. Lesions produced by either route of inoculation were similar to those of quail bronchitis and included necrotizing tracheitis, proliferative and necrotizing bronchitis and pneumonia, and multifocal necrotizing hepatitis, necrotizing splenitis with or without hyperplasia of splenic macrophages, and lymphoid necrosis and atrophy of the bursa of Fabricius. Basophilic intranuclear viral inclusions were present in respiratory mucosal epithelium, hepatocytes and occasionally bile duct epithelium, and the mucosal epithelium overlying follicles of the bursa. Results indicate that isolate 1452 is a field isolate of quail bronchitis virus and that inclusion body hepatitis of bobwhite quails is a manifestation of quail bronchitis.