Reticuloendotheliosis in a Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) from Coastal Georgia Author(s): L. E. Hayes, K. A. Langheinrich, and R. L. Witter Source: Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 28(1):154-158. Published By: Wildlife Disease Association DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-28.1.154 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.7589/0090-3558-28.1.154

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journal

of

Wildlife

28(1),

Diseases. © Wildlife

Reticuloendotheliosis from

Coastal

in a Wild

Turkey

(Meleagns

pp.

1992,

Disease

154-158

Association

1992

gaiopavo)

Georgia

L. E. Hayes,’ K. A. Langheinrich,2 and R. L. Witter,3 ‘Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA; 2United States Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Inspection Service, Russell Research Center, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA; 3United States Department of Agriculture,AgriculturalResearch Service, Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory, 3606 East Mount Hope Road, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA

ABSTRACT: An emaciated wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) exhibiting neurologic signs was found on Ossabaw Island, Chatham County, Georgia (USA) on 1 1 April 1989. The neurologic abnormalities observed included ataxia, droop-

and bird

ing

wings,

circling.

At

necropsy,

nodules,

varying in the

head

tremors, discrete

2

mm

in

neath agus.

the mucosal Histopathologic

nodules

disclosed

and

yellowish-white

in size from spleen. White

mately

torticollis, 2 to

5 mm,

nodular

were

were

approxibesurface of the distal esophexamination of the splenic were

large

numbers

of

nal

cord,

brain,

samples Key pavo, sis

brain

subtype

of the spleen words: Wild

stem. 3,

and

primitive

avian

retrovirus,

avian

rarely

gallo-

lymphoproli-

and have

et

a!.,

1985;

1970). In these was not identified.

been

(Meleagris United Busch

and

isolated from wild no definitive link and !ymphoproliferative has been established

in free-

The ported Wildlife

Williams,

nostic

virus been

(Ley

et a!.,

1989).

inent were were

turkeys between

in Florida, but these viruses disease in turkeys (Colwell et al., 1973;

Infiltrates

a wild not fly

turkey that more than a

by

Georgia

De-

Area

Man-

the

Resources’ Island,

introduced

of

Georgia

(31#{176}47’N,

and

domestic

exotic

inhabit the island in addition to wildlife characteristic of the southcoastal USA (Johnson et a!., 1974). sick turkey routinely had been ob-

wild to

turkey

was

captured

the Southeastern Disease Study

laboratory. a thin

disclosed

and

Physical female

trans-

Cooperative (SCWDS) diagexamination

bird

with

keel. No ocular or nasal observed, and the infraorbital not swollen. When allowed

a promdischarges sinuses to stand

unrestrained, the bird either held its head low and experienced intention tremor-like movements or exhibited torticollis. The

Grant et a!., 1975). Recently, neticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), subtype 2, was isolated from a wild turkey in North Carolina cells consistent proliferative

on Ossabaw

gallopaStates (Da-

reports, a causative Herpesviruses have

found

of Natural

this

eral types of geese, kept by a private individual on the island. Although the turkey was wild, it was habituated to being fed.

Marek’s-like

reported

was

1989, could

lung, in

served feeding with several domestic fowl, including domestic chickens, Japanese chickens, guinea fowl, peafowl, and sev-

disease

ranging wild turkeys vo) in the southeastern vidson

from

reticuloendothelio-

Lymphoproliferative diseases

Meleagris

turkey,

feet

riety

Reticuloen-

isolated

was

few

species native eastern The

liver.

reticuloendotheliosis,

virus,

ferative

and

virus,

April and

liver, mucosa

81#{176}07’W). Ossabaw Island is a 10,1 17 hectare barrier island off the coast of Georgia. Upland habitats cover approximately 4,775 ha, while the remainder of the island consists of fresh and saltwater marshes. A va-

lymphoreticular cells with leptochromatic nuclei and abundant, slightly basophilic cytoplasms. The mitotic index in these cells was moderate to high. Similar neoplastic cells composed the masses observed in the esophagus. Multifocal, mild perivascular cuffing with mononuclear cells was found in the lumbar spidotheliosis

spleen,

11 weak

ager

observed

the

was

partment

lesions

diameter

in

and esophageal et a!., 1989).

On

present

observed oral (Ley

turkey’s tended

wings to circle

drooped to the

slightly, left. The

movements were ataxic, and Blood samples were collected

of neoplastic

with those seen in lymphodisease/neticuloendothe!iosis

tubes 154

with

and

without

EDTA.

and it bird’s

it often fell. in sterile The

bird

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

then

was nasia

euthanatized

Solution

with

T-61

Eutha-

Phanmacal

(Taylor

155

i

#{149}:

Compab

ny,

Decatur,

Illinois

At necropsy, nodules were of

the

lesions from

distal

62525).

portion

of

2 mm mucosa

esophagus.

:‘,‘

...

visible ye!-

nodules which varied in size from 2 to 5 mm were scattered throughout the splenic parenchyma. The spleen did not appear grossly enlarged. The following tissues were collected and preserved in 10%

esophagus,

liver,

crop,

for histopathotrachea, heart, proventriculus, giz-

zard, small and large intestine, spleen, air sac, ovary, sciatic and brachial plexus nerves, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal cord, cerebrum, of the listed tissues scopically. posited Pathology tions

with

of

and cerebellum. were evaluated

Formalin-fixed the Armed (Accession

the

brain,

tissues were Forces Institute No. 2325076).

lung,

liver

and

also were frozen at -70 in an attempt to isolate

C and viruses.

and

taken

cloacal

swabs

were

sp. culture attempts, was obtained for Myco plasma influenza virus and Newcastle from

the

blood

death. Histopathologic disclosed gus and

later used Tracheal Myco-

and serum sp., avian disease virus

collected

examination

prior of

nuclei

and

consisted cells with

to

tissues

FIGURE

of

Splenic

primitive

matic

abundant

figures. Plasma

shaped stroma

neoplastic

infiltrate

lymphoreticular

nuclei,

mitotic

--_____

C-

1.

cells associated are

also

present.

cytoplasms,

cells,

numerous

and

spindle-

fine connective

tissue

H&E.

ma also were components (Fig. 1). The esophageal nodules of neoplastic cells similar in the splenic were observed

leptochro-

and

heterophils,

with

composed

with

cells

of

the

masses

were composed to those observed

lesions. These groups of cells adjacent to and sometimes esophageal

glands

and

normal

bursal-derived lymphoid tissue. In some cases the !ymphoreticular cells appeared to be invading or impinging on the stratified squamous mucosa. Mitotic figures were common (Fig. 2). Multifocal, mild penivascular cuffing with mononuclear flammatory cells was observed in the bar spinal cord, brain, and brain stem 3). Lesions associated with peripheral viscera! nerves were not seen.

inlum(Fig. or

of primleptochno-

slightly

abundant

__

obliterating

neoplastic lesions in the esophaspleen. In the spleen, multiple foci

of neoplastic infiltrates itive lymphoneticulan matic

deof Por-

spleen

for

plasma

serology

All micro-

...,.-.a,

..,.

.,.

lowish-white

formalin lung,

S.

‘‘:.

These

were numerous and easily the mucosal surface. Multifocal

buffered neutral logic examination:

_

#{149},

multifoca! white observed within the

baso-

philic cytoplasms with a moderate to high mitotic index. These cells were compatible in appearance with those described as being typical of REV tumor cells (Riddell, 1987).

The

nuclei

of these

to ovoid and centrally placed. Many mononuclear hyaline,

eosinophilic,

the cytoplasms. hetenophils, sociated

with

and

cells or

globular Identifiable spindle-shaped

a fine

connective

were

round

eccentrically cells contained material plasma

in

cells, cells as-

tissue

stro-

2.

FIGURE esophagus

several

with mitotic

Stratified

squamous

invasion

by lymphoreticular

figures.

H&E.

epithelium cells.

of Note

156

JOURNAL

OF WILDLIFE

DISEASES.

VOL.

28, NO.

1, JANUARY

1992

procedures It

I

culture r

hour chicken ens in 35-mm

,

culture

p.

#{149}\

‘‘.ta1’

“#{149}-

erslips

4

FicullE plasma cord.

3. cells

,,-

Perivascular adjacent

cuff

to central

of

lymphocytes

canal

in lumbar

and spinal

H&E.

An from tissue

attempt

was

disease

and

frozen and

cerebral lung tissue.

suspensions fusion broth ten day mortality

made avian

were and

old or

to

isolate

influenza

Newviruses

and cerebellar Ten percent

allantoic fluids was two passages. The negative for antibody by the hemagglutination

into

No embryo activity of

observed on either of bird was serologically to Newcastle disease inhibition test and

serologically negative by a standard agar gel coplasma gallopavonis

for avian influenza precipitin test. Mywas isolated from

tracheal, coplasma

air sac isolates

cloacal, and gallopavonis

keys have been shown to be chicken and turkey embryos Yuill, 1987), of naturally

but there occurring

this agent in wild turkey turkey was sero!ogica!!y tibody to M. gallisepticum plate agglutination antigens according

swabs. from pathogenic (Rocke

have been disease

fluids

embryo coverslips.

culture

removed,

immunofluorescent -196 C and

were

fibroblast After an

period, fixed,

the

and

coy-

evaluated

Myturto and

no reports caused by

populations. The negative for anby the rapid

test using Sa!sbury to the manufacturer’s

plate

staining were saved at as a virus stock. The

used

isolates from categorized

both the liver and spleen as subtype 3 based on

immunofluonescent of

brain tissue

made in brain heart inoculated into nine

chicken embryos. hemagglutinating

supennatant

3-day were

monolaya 7-day

for viral antigen by an indirect immunofluorescent assay (Chen et al., 1987) using a 1:200 dilution of monoclonal antibody 1 1A25 specific for REV (Cui et a!., 1986). Supernatant fluid from cultures positive by

REV were castle

fibroblast Following

by ininto 24-

.,

2.. .

embryo dishes. to chicken containing

additional

Reticulofrom f no-

Virus was isolated ml of test sample

period,

transferred monolayers

..

Inc.,

,

50616, USA). was isolated

of liver and spleen. Test samof 1:10 dilutions of crude of liver and spleen in cell

medium. of 0.1

oculation

Laboratories

Iowa virus

zen samples ples consisted homogenates

..s,...

o

(Salsbury

Charles City, endotheliosis

C

staining

monoclonal

1987). presence sions

with

antibodies

a battery

(Chen

et

Isolation of REV coupled of neoplastic lymphoreticular supports

the

diagnosis

dotheliosis in this Reticuloendotheliosis

of

with

a!., the le-

reticuloen-

bird. viruses

are

classi-

fied as retroviruses. They have been associated with multiple syndromes in domestic birds including runting, acute reticulum cell neoplasia, and chronic neoplasia manifested by lymphoid tumors (Witter,

1991).

The

syndrome

runting

characterized by retardation in development, atrophy of lymphoid anemia, proventniculitis, entenitis, mal feather development, ripheral nerves, and (Witter, 1991). Reticuloendothe!iosis distinct

from

group Natural

of avian hosts

netnoviruses for REV

chickens,

ducks,

enlarged im m unodepression viruses

to but

the

geese

Experimental infections duced in pheasants and

is

physical tissues, abnor-

are

pe-

similar

leukosis/sarcoma

and

(Witter, include

1991). turkeys,

Japanese

quail.

have guinea

been fowl

proin ad-

SHORT COMMUNICA11ONS

dition Riddel!,

to these 1987).

Serologic

natural

wild avian southeastern

indicates in domestic

species, United

ways associated ten, 1991). There the

(Witter,

This

1991;

which

(Witsub-

disease antigenic

can

REV some

in the is not al-

particularly States, and

with clinical are three

virus

that and

be identified

types

of

using

monoclonal antibodies (Chen et a!., Al! three subtypes have been isofrom turkeys (Chen et a!., 1987). Al-

1987).

lated though

the

different

ilar biological pathogenicity

subtypes

possess

properties, exist (Purchase

for

these have

viruses

sim-

differences et a!.,

Kang et a!., 1975; Bauer and At the present time there information on differences ogy

is the

dotheliosis

evidence distributed

is widely

hosts

in 1973;

Temin, 1980). is little or no in epizootiol-

subtypes (Witter, been shown to

be

1991). The transmis-

eastern

United

served

in

populations ture.

gall and

et al., Salter,

modes

1980; Bagust 1989). The

et a!., relative

of transmission

zootiology ter,

in the

disease

is unknown

The

possibility

of

by insects its importance

with occurred

This priation

study from

States Wildlife

to

REV-contaminated in domestic

agents

the

using

etiological

histopathology

alone.

at a definitive

diagnosis.

southob-

College

the

fu-

by an approof the United

the Southeastern Disease Study,

under

work on in wild in the

supported Congress

Cooperative Department

of

Veterinary

of and Federal

Interior. Special thanks

Georgia. research Aid

of Med-

Funds coordi-

in

Wildlife

to W.

0.

Fletcher,

Geor-

gia Department of Natural Resources, for submission of the case, and to V. F. Nettles, W. R. Davidson, and M. P. Luttrell for editorial

advice.

1981. an

T.

G., tigenic

Avian

DNA

Journal

Marek’s Avian

lesions CHEN,

M.

34: L.

AND

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14:

Serologic

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93:

an-

RNA-depen-

reticuloendotheC

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WILLIAMS,

JR.

1970.

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R.

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LITERATURE

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the

flocks

which

!ymphopro!iferative

with

warranted

The University administered

dent

ferentiate

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association

tered in a wild the epizootio!ogy

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