Detection and propagation of avian enteric reovirus in chickens / Detecçäo e propagaçäo de reovirus entéricos aviários em pintos

ABSTRACT

Intestinal contents from 54 chicken flocks with diarrhea were examined for reovirus by genome eletropherotyping. Only 5 of the 54 specimens produced genome electropherotype characteristic of reovirus. No genome variations among reovirus strains were found, but they revealed extensive differences from a control avian atypical rotavirus. Three-day-old chickens could be infected with one reovirus isolate. Chickens developed diarrhea, decrased weight gain, some mortality and the viral genome could recovered from their droppings