Investigation of Enteric Viruses Associated With Runting and Stunting in Day-Old Chicks and Older Broilers in Southwest Nigeria
Date
2019-07-16
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Publisher
Frontiers Media
Abstract
Enteric viruses are known to have significant economic impact on poultry, especially
broiler chicken flocks, because of production losses attributable to poor feed conversion
and weight gain. To sustain the Nigerian poultry industry that contributes significantly to
the livestock sector of the economy, there is a need to investigate commercial broiler
flocks in the country for the presence of enteric viruses causing runting and stunting,
growth retardation, and hatchery diseases. Gut contents were collected from 158
day-old and six 14-week old runted/stunted broiler chickens in commercial farms (ten)
and hatcheries (six) located in Southwest Nigeria. The samples were examined for the
presence of chicken astrovirus (CAstV), avian nephritis virus (ANV), avian rotavirus (AvRV),
chicken parvovirus (ChPV), and turkey astroviruses (TAstV-1 and−2) by polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) whereas avian reovirus (ARV)
and fowl adenovirus (FAdV) by virus isolation (VI), RT-PCR, and PCR. While CAstV was
detected in all the birds (100%), sporadic detection of ANV (5%), and ChPV (5%) was
observed in day-old and/or older birds. Four isolates were obtained by VI with one isolate
being ARV positive and other three FAdV positive by RT-PCR and PCR, respectively.
These findings strongly suggest CAstV as a major cause of runting and stunting as
well as hatchery condemnations in commercial broilers in Southwest Nigeria, although
co-infections with ANV, FAdV, ARV, and ChPV cannot be ruled out. In addition, the
possible vertical and horizontal transmissions of these viruses are discussed.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 2 July 2019; Published - 16 July 2019
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Keywords
broilers, enteric virus, runting, stunting, hatchery condemnations, chicken astrovirus
Citation
Adebiyi, A. I., Tregaskis, P. L., Oluwayelu, D. O. and Smyth, V. J. (2019) ‘Investigation of Enteric Viruses Associated With Runting and Stunting in Day-Old Chicks and Older Broilers in Southwest Nigeria’, Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Frontiers Media SA, 6. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00239.