HEMORRHAGIC ENTERITIS

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Causative Agent(s)

Adenovirus (group II) Acute viral disease of turkeys > 4 weeks old. Endemic in most commercial turkey production areas. Virus is identical to that causing Marble Spleen Disease in pheasants (3-8 months), but clinical signs are respiratory and death is from asphyxia.

Clinical Presentation and Epidemiology

It is Introduced onto new premises via personnel or equipment contaminated with infectious faeces.

Clinical signs include depression, pallor, bloody droppings, and death. Sudden dramatic increase in mortality, with death due to intestinal haemorrhage (7-week-old turkeys). Milder forms may go undetected until immunosuppression and secondary bacterial infections occur. May see second peak in mortality due to these secondary infections (10days to 2 weeks after initial signs).

Diagnostic Consideration

Agar gel precipitin with spleen as antigen source.

Management and Treatment

SQ injection of antiserum from recovered flocks. Autogenous vaccine made from spleen (mildly pathogenic isolates of pheasant origin). Antibiotics may be used to treat secondary infections.