ARS | Publication request: Neoplastic Diseases of Poultry

Submitted to: World Veterinary Poultry Association Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: November 8, 2009
Publication Date: November 8, 2009
Citation: Fadly, A.M. 2009. Neoplastic Diseases of Poultry. XVIth World Veterinary Poultry Association Congress Book of Abstracts, Marrakesh, Morocco, November 8-12, 2009. p. 93-97.

Technical Abstract: Depending on whether the etiologic agent is known, neoplastic diseases of poultry are divided into two main classes, virus-induced tumors and tumors of unknown etiology. As a group, neoplastic diseases of poultry comprise a variety of related and unrelated conditions with a single common denominator, namely neoplastic character. In addition to causing economic losses from tumor mortality as well as poor performance, some of these neoplastic diseases have served as highly suitable models for studying various phenomena of viral oncology. Virus-induced neoplastic diseases of poultry are the most common naturally occurring, and economically significant neoplastic diseases of poultry. These diseases are caused by either a herpesvirus, Marek’s disease, or by a retrovirus, leukosis/sarcoma group, reticuloendotheliosis and lymphoproliferative disease of turkeys. The incidence of tumors of unknown etiology in commercial poultry appears to be low because the life span of commercially raised chickens and turkeys is generally short and may be less than that required for development of such tumors. However, multicentric histiocytosis and dermal squamous cell carcinoma (avian keratoacanthoma) are two neoplastic disease conditions of unknown etiology that are encountered in commercial broilers during processing. This review is primarily focused on addressing current status and future challenges regarding control of these three important virus-induced neoplastic diseases of poultry, namely avian leukosis, reticuloendotheliosis, and Marek’s disease.