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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #104344
Title: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND TRANSMISSION OF SUBGROUP J AVIAN LEUKOSIS VIRUS - A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN BROILER BREEDERS

Author
item Witter, Richard
item Bacon, Larry
item Fadly, Aly

Submitted to: American Veterinary Medical Association Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/12/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Broiler parent chicks from were hatched from a grandparent flock known to be infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) and sampled at 2-4 week intervals from hatch to 60 weeks. Plasma was tested for virus and antibody, cloacal swabs and albumen samples were tested for gs antigen, and embryo mash obtained from fertile eggs and tested for virus. Virus was isolated from 7% of chicks at hatch. After hatch, virtually all hens became infected and about 20% developed tumors, mostly myeloid leukosis. About 140 hens that lived to 12 weeks or beyond were studied extensively to determine infection profiles. Several different profiles were observed, some of which were highly correlated with virus transmission to progeny and to tumor formation. Combinations of diagnostic tests were found that predicted transmitter hens but these tests also identified many nontransmitters.