Haemorrhagic Enteritis (Siadenovirus)

Turkey hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) was first recognized in turkey poults in 1937 by Pomeroy and Fenster macher in the United States. Afterward, the disease has been reported in several countries worldwide, that is, Canada, England, Germany, Australia, India, Japan, Israel, and the United States. The disease is caused by turkey adenovirus-3 (TAV-3), the genus Siadenovirus, family Adenoviridae. The susceptible age is 4 weeks and older turkeys mainly 6–11 weeks old). The disease is characterized by general clinical signs such as bloody dropping and sudden death. The main postmortem lesions are swollen intestines, filled with bloody contents, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. The mortality rates ranged from 10 to 15%; however, it can reach 60%. Sometimes, the intestinal mucosa is covered by a yellowish fibrinonecrotic membrane. Petechial hemorrhages can also be seen in several tissues. Histologically, the presence of intranuclear inclusion bodies in the macrophages and lymphocytes of the spleen is a characteristic of HE. The diagnosis is based on the clinical signs, postmortem lesions, and histopathological examination. AGID, PCR, and ELISA can be used for virus identification. The disease can be prevented by vaccination with avirulent live vaccines at 3–6 weeks, accompanied by hygienic measures.