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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #285357
Title: Rotavirus Infections

Author
item Day, James

Submitted to: Diseases of Poultry
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2012
Publication Date: 10/14/2013
Citation: Day, J.M. 2013. Rotavirus Infections. In: Swayne, D.E., Glisson, J.R., McDougald, L.R., Nolan, L.K., Suarez, D.L., Nair, V.L., editors. Diseases of Poultry. 13th edition. Ames, IA:Wiley-Blackwell in partnership with the American Association of Avian Pathologists. p 381-391.

Interpretive Summary: The members of the Reoviridae family, of which the rotaviruses are a part, infect vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and fungi; however, the members of the genus Rotavirus can infect only vertebrates and are transmitted via the fecal-oral route. Rotaviruses infect numerous species of birds, including many species of domesticated birds. Rotavirus infection in avian species is frequently associated with outbreaks of diarrhea in poultry, and is often found in association with a recognized enteric disease syndrome such as Runting-Stunting Syndrome (RSS) in poultry. The economic impact of rotavirus-associated enteric disease to the poultry industry is not clear, but non-specific enteric disease with possible viral cause is an ongoing industry burden. This chapter outlines the etiology, classification, and pathogenicity of the avian rotaviruses.

Technical Abstract: The avian rotaviruses are members of the Reoviridae family, which is characterized by virions that contain 10-12 linear double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments. The Reoviridae consists of 15 genera which can be placed into two recognized subfamilies based upon the presence or absence of structural “turrets” located at the outer capsid vertices; the genus Rotavirus is in the non-turreted subfamily, the Sedoreovirinae, while the turreted genera comprise the subfamily Spinareovirina. The members of the Reoviridae family infect vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and fungi; however, the members of the genus Rotavirus can infect only vertebrates and are transmitted via the fecal-oral route. Rotaviruses infect numerous species of birds, including many species of domesticated birds. Rotavirus infection in avian species is frequently associated with outbreaks of diarrhea and general flock depression, and is often found in association with a recognized enteric syndrome in poultry. The economic impact of rotavirus-associated enteric disease to the poultry industry is not clear, but non-specific enteric disease with a probable viral etiology is an ongoing industry burden. This chapter outlines the etiology, classification, and pathogenicity of the avian rotaviruses.