First report of Marek’s disease virus in commercial turkeys in Slovenia

Žlabravec, Zoran (author), Slavec, Brigita (author), Rožmanec, Ema (author), Koprivec, Saša (author), Dovč, Alenka (author), Zorman-Rojs, Olga (author)

Marek’s disease (MD), caused by Mardivirus gallidalpha 2 (GaAHV-2), also known as MD virus (MDV), is a lymphoproliferative disease that primarily affects chickens. Recently, MDV has been detected in lymphomatous tumors in turkeys in various countries. Between 2021 and 2023, three cases ranging from no to severe clinical disorders (depression, lameness, and increased mortality) occurred in commercial turkey flocks in Slovenia. In all cases, MDV was detected by PCR in DNA samples extracted from organs developing tumor infiltrations. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the meq gene revealed that the GaAHV-2 detected has molecular features of a very virulent pathotype and genetic similarity with GaAHV-2 detected in chickens in Tunisia. This is the first report of MDV in commercial turkeys in Slovenia.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Marek disease, Mardivirus, turkeys
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: VF - Veterinary Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, iss. 2, art. 250
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-154054
• UDC: 636.09:616
• ISSN on article: 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani14020250
• COBISS.SI-ID: 181401603
• Publication date in RUL: 22.01.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Animals
• Shortened title: Animals
• Publisher: MDPI AG
• ISSN: 2076-2615
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519120409

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 22.01.2024

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0092
• Name: Zdravje živali, okolje in varna hrana