The cause of bluecomb disease in turkeys is unknown. Filtration of infective intestinal contents suggests a viral origin. To date, it has not been possible to isolate the etiologic agent in various cell cultures. The purpose of this work was to characterize as many virus-like entities as were recognizable in intestines of both healthy and bluecomb-infected turkeys. By a comparison of the viral populations it was hoped that some insight might be gained into the cause of this disease. Studies of turkey hemorraghic enteritis by Gross and Moore (Avian Dis. 11: 296-307, 1967) have suggested that a bacteriophage-host cell interaction may bear some causal relationship to that disease.
