Detection of goose haemorrhagic polyomavirus (GHPV) in flocks with haemorrhagic nephritis and enteritis of geese in southern Germany
Miksch, K.; Grossmann, E.; Köhler, K.; Johne, R.
Berliner und Münchener Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 115(9-10): 390-394
2002
ISSN/ISBN: 0005-9366 PMID: 12357678 Document Number: 547867
Two flocks of geese in the South of Germany independently diseased on Haemorrhagic Nephritis and Enteritis of Geese (HNEG) at the age of 4 weeks were studied. The flocks were approximately 300 km apart but had received goslings from the same hatchery. In both flocks the animals died within 12 hours mainly without showing clinical signs. Some of the first cases showed haemorrhagic typhlitis, whereas in later cases visceral gout was the main finding. In all cases, pathohistological examination generally showed necrosis of the tubular epithelium of the kidney. After a course of 5 weeks no new occurrences were seen. Death rates of 43.8% for the first flock and 29.2% for the second flock, respectively, were recorded. In both cases, the diagnosis HNEG was confirmed by the detection of the recently described Goose Haemorrhagic Polyomavirus (GHPV) using polymerase chain reaction.