Astrovirus: a cause of an enteric disease in turkey poults

Virus particles of 30 nm diameter and star-shaped morphology were detected in the intestinal contents of turkey poults and were identified as astroviruses. Seventy-six intestinal samples from 65 commercial turkey flocks bwtween 6 and 35 days of age were evaluated for the presence of astroviruses by immune electron microscopy. Astroviruses were frequently detected in intestinal samples from poults that had enteritis and diarrhoea of undetermined aetiology. Astroviruses were geographically widespread (throughout the USA) and were present in poults from all six farms evaluated. Astroviruses were inoculated into specific-pathogen-free poults. Changes observed in the gastrointestinal tract were: dilated caeca containing yellowish frothy contents, gaseous fluid in the intestinal tract, and loss of tone of the intestinal tract (gut thinness). Poults experimentally inoculated with astrovirus gained significantly less body weight and absorbed significantly less D-xylose than uninoculated controls.