A metagenomic comparison of endemic viruses from broiler chickens with runting-stunting syndrome and from normal birds

Runting-stunting syndrome (RSS) in broiler chickens is an enteric disease that causes significant economic losses to poultry producers worldwide due to elevated feed conversion ratios, decreased body weight during growth, and excessive culling. Of specific interest are the viral agents associated with RSS which have been difficult to fully characterize to date. Past research into the aetiology of RSS has implicated a wide variety of RNA and DNA...