19: SOME DISEASES OF WILD TURKEYS FROM TEXAS AND WISCONSIN

Abstract

ABSTRACT From 1964 to 1969 livetrapped wild turkeys from a study area in southern Texas and turkeys shot during the hunting seasons in west‐central Wisconsin were tested for evidences of various types of encephalitis and several other diseases. Serologic, bacteriologic, and hematozoic methods of analysis were used on sera extracted from the turkeys. The object of the study was to increase understanding of diseases and disease agents in wild turkeys. Results of tests on wild turkey sera from south Texas suggested little or no activity of eastern, California, and Venezuelan encephalitis; encephalomyocarditis; Newcastle Disease; ornithosis; Salmonella pullorum; and S. typhimurium. A small number of reactors to western encephalitis were detected annually. Significant numbers of serologic reactors against St. Louis encephalitis and vesicular stomatitis were detected in wild turkeys, and their serologic patterns paralleled disease activity in humans and livestock of the area. Mycoplasmas that were different from recognized poultry strains were isolated from the 100 turkeys examined in Texas and 14 examined in Wisconsin. More than 80 percent of 133 turkeys from Texas were infected with Haemoproteus meleagridis. The significance of these findings and the potential role of disease in wild turkey management were discussed.