Isolation and cell culture propagation of rotaviruses from turkeys and chickens

Rotaviruses were detected by electron microscopy in the faeces of turkey poults and broiler chickens with diarrhoea. Apparently symptomless infection was also observed in broilers. The avian rotaviruses could not be isolated in cell cultures by conventional techniques, but were adapted to serial growth in chick cell cultures following trypsin treatment of the virus and the cells. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the avian and mammalian rotaviruses are antigenically related. Antibodies to rotavirus were widespread in sera collected from turkeys, chickens and ducks.