Pathogenicity and serological response of turtle-doves (Eupelia cruziana) to an experimental challenge with a Newcastle disease virus

© 2004 Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. All rights reserved. This study was designed to assess the susceptibility of turtle-doves (Eupelia cruziana) to Newcastle virus. A group of 15 turtle-doves was inoculated with a velogenic viscerotropic strain of the Newcastle virus, and a group of 15 was used as control. Both groups were raised in the same environmental conditions and were fed with similar feeds, but kept separate. Clinical signs and mortality were recorded. Blood samples were tested by the hemaglutination inhibition technique and tissue samples were collected for virus recovery and histological studies. From the inoculated group, 6 birds showed nervous signs like head tremors, neck torsion and uncoordinated movements, and three of them died. Macroscopic lesions were observed on the nervous system. Histological lesions were observed in the brain, and in lungs and tracheal epithelium. An increase in the antibody titers was observed at the 7th day of exposure to Newcastle virus, reaching the highest titers (PGT= 12.1) at the 21th day. Viral recovery was obtained in lung and trachea tissues, and from a cloacal swab from dead birds.