J Vet Sci.  2010 Mar;11(1):59-66. 10.4142/jvs.2010.11.1.59.

Isolation and characterization of avian metapneumovirus from chickens in Korea

• Kwon JS
• Lee HJ
• Jeong SH
• Park JY
• Hong YH
• Lee YJ
• Youn HS
• Lee DW
• Do SH
• Park SY
• Choi IS
• Lee JB
• Song CS

• KMID: 1106158
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2010.11.1.59

Abstract

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) causes upper respiratory tract infections in chickens and turkeys. Although the swollen head syndrome (SHS) associated with aMPV in chickens has been reported in Korea since 1992, this is the study isolating aMPV from chickens in this country. We examined 780 oropharyngeal swab or nasal turbinate samples collected from 130 chicken flocks to investigate the prevalence of aMPV and to isolate aMPV from chickens from 2004-2008. Twelve aMPV subtype A and 13 subtype B strains were detected from clinical samples by the aMPV subtype A and B multiplex real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR). Partial sequence analysis of the G glycoprotein gene confirmed that the detected aMPVs belonged to subtypes A and B. Two aMPVs subtype A out of the 25 detected aMPVs were isolated by Vero cell passage. In animal experiments with an aMPV isolate, viral RNA was detected in nasal discharge, although no clinical signs of SHS were observed in chickens. In contrast to chickens, turkeys showed severe nasal discharge and a relatively higher titer of viral excretion than chickens. Here, we reveal the co-circulation of aMPV subtypes A and B, and isolate aMPVs from chicken flocks in Korea.

Keyword

avian metapneumovirus; chickens; multiplex RRT-PCR; swollen head syndrome; turkeys

MeSH Terms

Animals
Antibodies, Viral/blood
Base Sequence
*Chickens
Glycoproteins/chemistry/genetics
Metapneumovirus/immunology/*isolation & purification
Molecular Sequence Data
Paramyxoviridae Infections/immunology/*veterinary/virology
*Phylogeny
Poultry Diseases/immunology/*virology
RNA, Viral/chemistry/genetics
Respiratory Tract Infections/immunology/*veterinary/virology
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction/veterinary
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Serotyping
Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
Turkeys

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Pylogenetic trees of avian metapneumovirus (aMPV). Nucleotides 161-383 (223 bases) of the G gene were used for phylogenetic analysis.

• 

  Fig. 2 Electron micrograph of the Korean aMPV isolate Ck/A/Kr/1336/06 derived from infected Vero cell culture.

• 

  Fig. 3 Viral shedding from nasal discharge of immunosuppressed specific pathogen free chickens in experiment 1 (A) and from oropharyngeal (OP) swabs and nasal discharge of turkeys in experiment 2 (B). The error bars indicate standard deviations from virus shedding titers of eight chickens per group. *p < 0.05. **p < 0.005.

• 

  Fig. 4 Histological lesions in the upper trachea (A, B) and nasal turbinate (C, D) of turkeys 5 days post challenge. (A) Upper trachea of the Korean aMPV isolate-inoculated turkey showing infiltration of lymphoid cells in the epithelium (black arrow). (B) Intact ciliated epithelium of a non-challenged turkey. (C) Nasal turbinate of the Korean aMPV isolate-inoculated turkey showing infiltration of lymphoid cells in the epithelium (black arrow) and hypertrophy of the mucous gland (white arrow). (D) Nasal turbinate of a non-challenged turkey. H&E stain, ×200.

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