Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro 35020, PD, Italy.
Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia 40064, BO, Italy.
Poult Sci. 2018 Feb 1;97(2):503-509. doi: 10.3382/ps/pex350.
With increasing frequency, avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) is reported to induce respiratory signs in chickens. An adequate knowledge of current aMPV prevalence among Italian broilers is lacking, with little information available on its economical and health impact on the poultry industry. In order to collect preliminary data on the epidemiological context of aMPV in broiler flocks, a survey was performed in areas of Northern Italy with high poultry density from 2014 to 2016. Upper respiratory tract swabs were collected and processed by A and B subtype-specific multiplex real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). Samples were also screened for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) by generic RT-PCR and sequencing. Productive data and respiratory signs were detailed where possible. The high prevalence of aMPV was confirmed in broilers older than 26 d and also attested in IBV-negative farms. All aMPV detections belonged to subtype B. Italian strain genetic variability was evaluated by the partial attachment (G) gene sequencing of selected strains and compared with contemporary turkey strains and previously published aMPV references, revealing no host specificity and the progressive evolution of this virus in Italy.
禽偏肺病毒（aMPV）越来越频繁地被报道会引起鸡的呼吸道症状。目前意大利肉鸡中 aMPV 的流行情况缺乏充分的了解，关于其对家禽业的经济和健康影响的信息也很少。为了收集有关肉鸡群中 aMPV 流行病学背景的初步数据，2014 年至 2016 年期间，在意大利北部家禽密度较高的地区进行了一项调查。采集上呼吸道拭子，并用 A 和 B 亚型特异性多重实时 RT-PCR（RT-PCR）进行处理。还通过通用 RT-PCR 和测序对传染性支气管炎病毒（IBV）进行了筛查。尽可能详细地记录了生产数据和呼吸道症状。在 26 日龄以上的肉鸡中证实了 aMPV 的高流行率，在 IBV 阴性的农场中也有发现。所有 aMPV 检测均属于 B 亚型。通过对选定毒株的部分附着（G）基因测序，对意大利毒株的遗传变异性进行了评估，并与现代火鸡毒株和以前发表的 aMPV 参考序列进行了比较，结果表明该病毒没有宿主特异性，并且在意大利不断进化。
