Marek’s disease outbreak among vaccinated flock of broad breasted white turkey breed

Abstract

Twenty (20) dead broad breasted white turkey birds of eighteen (18) months old were presented for routine post mortem examination during October to December 2018 from poultry experimental station to the Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Science, PVNRTVU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. On necropsy, the gross lesions observed were hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, enlarged pancreas and thickened proventriculus. Multiple greyish white nodular growths around 5 – 10 cm diameter were also observed on pancreas, spleen and intestines. Impression smears from liver and spleen were prepared for cytological examination. Liver, spleen, pancreas and proventriculus were collected in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological examination. Cytology and histopathology of the visceral organs showed the presence of numerous proliferating pleomorphic lymphocytes is suggestive of Marek’s disease.