Fringed membranous particles and viruses in faeces from healthy turkey poults and from poults with putative poult enteritis complex/spiking mortality.

Goodwin, M A; Brown, J; Player, E C; Steffens, W L; Hermes, D; Dekich, M A

The purpose of the present study was to use clinical epidemiologic tools to define the relationship between production performance data, virus particles, and intestinal fringed membranous particles (FMPs) in healthy turkey poults and in poults that were experiencing an outbreak of poult enteritis complex (PEC) and spiking mortality syndrome (SMS). Small and large intestines from flocks of healthy poults and poults with PEC/SMS were collected, processed, and examined for viruses. Production performance parameters were collected and analyzed. Hocks of turkeys with PEC/SMS in the present study had low survival expectancy (livability) and poor growth compared to their healthy turkey counterparts. The only significant association between sickness and intestinal virus was the presence of coronavirus.