TY - JOUR AU - Velayudhan, Binu T. AU - Nagaraja, Kakambi V. AU - Thachil, Anil J. AU - Shaw, Daniel P. AU - Gray, Gregory C. AU - Halvorson, David A. T1 - Human Metapneumovirus in Turkey Poults T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2006 VL - 12 IS - 12 SP - 1853 SN - 1080-6059 AB - This study was conducted to reexamine the hypothesis that human metapneumovirus (hMPV) will not infect turkeys. Six groups of 2-week-old turkeys (20 per group) were inoculated oculonasally with 1 of the following: noninfected cell suspension; hMPV genotype A1, A2, B1, or B2; or avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) subtype C. Poults inoculated with hMPV showed nasal discharge days 4–9 postexposure. Specific viral RNA and antigen were detected by reverse-transcription PCR and immunohistochemical evaluation, respectively, in nasal turbinates of birds exposed to hMPV. Nasal turbinates of hMPV-infected turkeys showed inflammatory changes and mucus accumulation. Each of the 4 hMPV genotypes caused a transient infection in turkeys as evidenced by clinical signs, detection of hMPV in turbinates, and histopathologic examination. Detailed investigation of cross-species pathogenicity of hMPV and aMPV and its importance for human and animal health is needed. KW - human metapneumovirus KW - turkey KW - infection KW - clinical signs KW - research DO - 10.3201/eid1212.060450 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/12/06-0450_article ER - End of Reference