Avian metapneumovirus – Subtipes A&B

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) causes turkey rhinotracheitis, an acute respiratory tract infection of turkeys. It is also associated with swollen head syndrome in broilers and broiler breeders, as well as egg production losses in layers. Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV), in the subfamily Pneumovirinae of the family Paramyxoviridae and Group V ((-)ssRNA). Based on genetic and antigenic properties, aMPV can be classified into 4 subgroups: A, B, C, and D. After its first detection in South Africa in 1978, different subgroups of aMPV, mainly A or B, were reported in Europe, Asia, and some other parts of the world in turkeys and chickens.