Reovirus tenosynovitis in a flock of layer breeders

The present paper describes a reovirus infection with clinical course in a flock of layer breeders. Lameness and tenosynovitis of flexor tendons were observed in approximately 15% of the cockerels and 3% of the hens from 17 weeks of age onwards. Affected birds did not die; on the contrary, most of them recovered clinically within a period of 8 weeks. Two other breeds of layer parents that were housed in close contact with the affected flock did not develop clinical signs, although serology indicated that infection with reovirus had taken place. These field observations constitute the first report of clinical reovirus tenosynovitis in layer parents and indicate different susceptibilities of layer parent breeds in developing clinical signs following reovirus infection.