Quantitation of intestinal D-xylose absorption in normal and reovirus-inoculated turkeys

A micromethod was modified to quantitate intestinal D-xylose absorption in young and extremely small birds. This test was performed in control and cloned-reovirus-inoculated turkey poults to investigate intestinal absorptive function. Absorption peaks and curves for control poults closely resembled those observed in normal humans. Poult groups absorbed significantly less D-xylose at 24 and 72 hours (P less than 0.0001 and P less than 0.0008, respectively) but not at 120 hours (P = 0.3178) after receiving a single oral dose of cloned reovirus. The modified D-xylose absorption test is suitable for experimental and clinical determination of absorptive function of the small intestine in the fowl.