Sentinel serosurveillance of backyard hens proved West Nile virus circulation in the western provinces of Turkey.

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus of a re-emergence importance with a wide range of vertebrate hosts. Granted, it causes asymptomatic infection, but fatal cases and neurologic disorders were also recorded, especially in humans, horses and some exposed birds. The virus is globally spread and birds are considered an amplifying and reservoir host of WNV, helping to spread the disease due to their close contact with main hosts. In this study, we aimed to detect the presence of antibodies against WNV in backyard hens that were reared in the western Anatolian part of Turkey. A total of 480 chicken sera were randomly collected from six provinces in the west of Turkey (Mugla, Izmir, Aydin, Afyonkarahisar, Kutahya and Manisa) with 80 samples from each province (40 in spring and 40 in fall seasons). They were tested by using a competitive ELISA method to identify the specific avian antibodies of IgG that produced against the WNV envelope proteins (pr-E). Twelve of 480 (2.5%) sera were found seropositive, three of these positive sera were detected from the Izmir province (3.75%) collected in the spring session and the other nine positive sera were detected from the Mugla province (11.25%) collected in the fall session. Both of these provinces are located seaside and have suitable climate conditions for vectors of infection. The results indicated that WNV infection is in circulation in these provinces, and that may put the other susceptible vertebrates under risk of infection.

Correction to: First report of fowl aviadenovirus serotypes FAdV-8b and FAdV-11 associated with inclusion body hepatitis in commercial broiler and broiler-breeder flocks in Turkey.

The co-author names were found missed in the original publication of this article and the complete lists of authors were updated here. The original article has been corrected.

First report of fowl aviadenovirus serotypes FAdV-8b and FAdV-11 associated with inclusion body hepatitis in commercial broiler and broiler-breeder flocks in Turkey.

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), hydropericardium syndrome (HS), and gizzard erosion (GE) are all economically important diseases in the poultry industry worldwide and are all caused by fowl aviadenovirus (FAdV). It is important to identify the serotype of the virus to differentiate these diseases. In the present study, a total of six recent FAdV serotypes were isolated and identified in broiler and broiler-breeder flocks in Izmir, Manisa, and Aydin provinces of the Aegean region of Turkey between January and March 2019. The viruses were isolated from livers and pooled organs of chickens using primary chicken embryo kidney cell cultures (CEKC). Virus isolates were identified by PCR amplification of the loop 1 (L1) variable region of the hexon gene followed by Sanger sequencing. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of both FAdV-D (serotype 11) and FAdV-E (serotype 8b). The viruses that were isolated were associated with IBH, which is typically characterized by gross lesions such as enlarged and pale yellow liver with multiple petechial hemorrhages. Histopathological examination also showed necrotizing hepatitis with intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes. This study is the first report of the isolation and identification of FAdV serotypes associated with IBH in commercial broilers and broiler-breeder flocks in Turkey. The results of sequence analysis showed that FAdV-8b and FAdV-11 were the circulating serotypes that caused recent field outbreaks of IBH in the Aegean region between January and March, 2019.