Adenovirus-associated haemorrhagic disease in guinea fowl

Nine outbreaks of a disease affecting 2 to 5-month-old guinea fowl, characterized by slight depression and sudden deaths, are described. Gross haemorrhages in the serosa and muscles were constantly observed. Histologically nuclear inclusion bodies, similar to those observed in avian adenovirosis group II were detected in the spleen of affected animals. Electron microscopic examination revealed the presence of adenovirus particles in spleen ultra-thin sections. The agar-gel immunodiffusion test, carried out on the sera from one outbreak, demonstrated reacting antibodies with haemorrhagic enteritis virus of turkeys. The disease was experimentally reproduced inoculating 35-day-old guinea fowl with spleen homogenate from affected animals.