Also known as: Turkey Enteritis Virus − Bluecomb Disease Virus − Turkey Coronaviral Enteritis

Introduction

Turkey Coronaviruses are members of the Coronaviridae

Coronaviridae

Coronaviruses are enveloped, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses with club-shaped surface about 120-160 nm in diameter that resemble a “corona”.-Virology:...

 family and infect turkey, especially poult

Poult

Poult primarily refers to:* A young Wild Turkey or Domestic turkey* Young poultry or fowl in general* More commonly, Poults are colloquially referred to as Turklings, a term utilized with both domestic and wild variations of Turkey....

s, leading to gastrointestinal disease. Transmission

Transmission (medicine)

In medicine and biology, transmission is the passing of a communicable disease from an infected host individual or group to a conspecific individual or group, regardless of whether the other individual was previously infected...

 is horizontal via the faeces

Fecal-oral route

The fecal-oral route, or alternatively, the oral-fecal route or orofecal route is a route of transmission of diseases, in which they are passed when pathogens in fecal particles from one host are introduced into the oral cavity of another potential host.There are usually intermediate steps,...

, and can be direct or indirectly spread by fomite

Fomite

A fomite is any inanimate object or substance capable of carrying infectious organisms and hence transferring them from one individual to another. A fomite can be anything...

s.

Disease has been noted in North America, Europe and Brazil.

Avian infectious bronchitis

Avian infectious bronchitis

Avian infectious bronchitis is an acute and highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens. The disease is caused by avian infectious bronchitis virus , a coronavirus, and characterized by respiratory signs including gasping, coughing, sneezing, tracheal rales, and nasal discharge. In young...

is a closely related disease.

Clinical Signs and Diagnosis

Gastrointestinal disease appears as diarrhoea, anorexia

Anorexia (symptom)

Anorexia is the decreased sensation of appetite...

 and lethargy. Most of the birds in a group are usually affected and their overall appearance is of darkened skin and ruffled feathers.

In the USA, Turkey coronavirus is one of the pathogens responsible for the Poult Enteritis and Mortality Syndrome (PEMS) in birds up to 1 month of age.

Mortality can be high in poults.

Recovered birds are immune for life but may become carriers.

Necropsy, histology

Histology

Histology is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of plants and animals. It is performed by examining cells and tissues commonly by sectioning and staining; followed by examination under a light microscope or electron microscope...

, indirect immunofluorescence

Immunofluorescence

Immunofluorescence is a technique used for light microscopy with a fluorescence microscope and is used primarily on biological samples. This technique uses the specificity of antibodies to their antigen to target fluorescent dyes to specific biomolecule targets within a cell, and therefore allows...

, immunoperoxidase

Immunoperoxidase

Immunoperoxidase is a type of immunostain used in molecular biology, medical research, and clinical diagnostics. In particular, immunoperoxidase reactions refer to a sub-class of immunohistochemical or immunocytochemical procedures in which the antibodies are visualized via a peroxidase-catalyzed...

 staining, ELISA

ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay , is a popular format of a "wet-lab" type analytic biochemistry assay that uses one sub-type of heterogeneous, solid-phase enzyme immunoassay to detect the presence of a substance in a liquid sample."Wet lab" analytic biochemistry assays involves detection of an...

 and PCR can all be used for diagnosis.

Treatment and Control

Supportive therapy can be given including: heat lamps, antibiotics, milk replacer.

As the virus persists in the flock, farms should be depopulated following an outbreak.