Influence of diet on a retrovirus-induced obesity and stunting syndrome.

An avian retrovirus, RAV-7, causes a syndrome characterized by stunting, high mortality, and obesity. In this study, the influence of the lipid content of the diet on the RAV-7-induced syndrome was examined. Failure to gain weight, a measure of the stunting, was not influenced by fat content of the diet, but a slight increase in mortality was noted with a low-fat diet.