Causes: A highly contagious, but as yet unclassified virus.

Effects: Incubation period is 1-7 days. It is often subclinical (no signs). Clinical signs include, depression, morbidity to 100% and mortality to 20%. Death is sudden. Breeder flocks can show reduced production, fertility and hatchability.

Turkeys of all ages can be affected with this acute, highly contagious and typically subclinical disease. The virus responsible has not been classified.

Spread by faecal-oral route and there may also be vertical transmission.

(There is a 1-7 day incubation period). It is often subclinical.

Depression, sudden death and morbidity to 100% and mortality to 25% can occur. Breeder flocks can show reduced production, fertility and hatchability.

Lesions include catarrhal enteritis, bronchopneumonia, peritonitis, or air sacculitis. Focal grey, depressed areas on the liver and circular grey-pink areas on pancreas may be seen.

Clinical signs and gross lesions in the liver and pancreas of turkeys are characteristic. Isolation of the virus from the liver in the yolk sac of embryonating eggs is diagnostic. Reinfection of day-old poults to reproduce the disease is also important.

It simulates histomoniasis and bacterial hepatitis.

Biosecurity is important

None.

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