Abstract
Background and aimsRunting-stunting syndrome (RSS) in chickens, also known as malabsorption syndrome, which is characterized by mild to severe enteritis and diagnosed through typical histopathologic examination as well as clinical signs, results in considerable economic losses. Despite the many studies carried out over decades to determine the etiologic agents of RSS involved in the disease, several outbreaks remained without the elucidation of, potentially multiple, etiologies involved.MethodsWe performed comparative analysis of viral metagenomes from four chicken flocks affected with RSS using next-generation sequencing. Primers for the detection of chicken enteric viruses were designed from the sequencing data obtained with metagenomics. Multiplex reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR were performed to detect a variety of etiological agents previously described in natural cases of RSS.ResultsThe most abundant viral families identified in this study were Astroviridae, Picornaviridae, Parvoviridae, Caliciviridae, Reoviridae and Picobirnaviridae. Chicken astrovirus sequences were present in all four samples, suggesting an association between chicken astrovirus and RSS and chicken astrovirus as a candidate pathogen responsible for RSS. Picobirnavirus and the newly identified chapparvovirus were found in chickens in the Republic of Korea for the first time, and the genetic diversity of enteric viruses and viral communities was showed.ConclusionsChicken astrovirus was consistently detected in broilers affected with RSS and the result of this study may contribute to knowledge of enteric diseases and viruses in chickens.
Highlights
Infectious intestinal diseases affecting young chickens and turkeys are characterized by mild to severe enteritis and result in considerable economic losses
Thin-welled intestines filled with undigested feed at postmortem examination and characteristic microscopic lesions were observed, but villous atrophy was not observed (Fig. 1a)
infectious bronchitis (IB) was identified by virus isolation and RTPCR, inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and histopathology, and coccidiosis was confirmed by the presence of oocysts in the cecum using microscopic examination
Summary
Infectious intestinal diseases affecting young chickens and turkeys are characterized by mild to severe enteritis and result in considerable economic losses. Runting-stunting syndrome (RSS), known as malabsorption syndrome, is diagnosed based on clinical signs It is usually difficult to isolate these enteric viruses in vitro, and many studies with astrovirus, rotavirus and reovirus have. Runting-stunting syndrome (RSS) in chickens, known as malabsorption syndrome, which is characterized by mild to severe enteritis and diagnosed through typical histopathologic examination as well as clinical signs, results in considerable economic losses. Despite the many studies carried out over decades to determine the etiologic agents of RSS involved in the disease, several outbreaks remained without the elucidation of, potentially multiple, etiologies involved
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