Virus isolation accuracy: an evaluation of eight laboratories involved in poultry diagnostics.

A study was undertaken to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic laboratories at isolation of common avian viral pathogens. Fourteen "unknown" samples were submitted to eight laboratories in seven states. All positive and negative samples were guaranteed pure by SPAFAS. Virus-isolation results were erroneous in many cases. Based on this study, it appears that protocol for virus isolation of avian pathogens should be standardized throughout the United States.

A survey for parvovirus-like virus (so-called chick anemia agent) antibodies in broiler breeders.

A prospective study to survey for the presence of parvovirus-like virus (PVLV; so-called chick anemia agent) antibody in broiler breeder pullets in Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida was conducted by collecting serum samples from 52 breeder flocks that ranged in age from 1 day to 55 weeks old. Results indicated that PVLV infection was widespread. Ninety-eight percent (51/52) of chicken flocks and 62% (530/861) of chickens had PVLV antibody. Rates of antibody-positive chickens among flocks ranged from 0% to 100% and averaged 76%. Upon initial examination, the percentages of chickens positive for PVLV appeared evenly distributed with respect to several convenient age groups and geographic locations. However, compared with young chickens (less than or equal to 19 weeks old), markedly significantly lower proportions of positives were present among chickens more than 19 weeks old (P = 0.00001) or chickens 30 weeks old or more (P = 0.000004). Also, there were significant (F = 7.7, df = 3/827, P less than 0.001) differences among the rates of PVLV antibody in chickens among various companies. The relatively high rate of PVLV antibody among broiler breeder chickens helps explain the low incidence of clinical disease among their offspring.

Preparation of an agar-gel-precipitating antigen for avian encephalomyelitis and its use in evaluating the antibody status of poultry.

An agar-gel-precipitin (AGP) antigen for avian encephalomyelitis virus (AEV) was prepared from infected chicken embryo brains. The antigen could precipitate specific antibodies to AEV. No nonspecific reactions were observed. Results of AGP tests were compared with those of virus-neutralization (VN) tests on both unvaccinated and AEV-vaccinated chickens. The AGP test reliably detected antibodies to AEV as early as four days postinoculation. Antibodies persisted in most vaccinated birds for over one year.

Serologic detection of adenovirus infections in specific-pathogen-free chickens.

A specific-pathogen-free flock of White Leghorns, which were housed conventionally and were previously serologically negative for all common poultry pathogens including avian adenoviruses, incurred an outbreak of adenovirus that was detected at about 39 weeks of age. The infection was detected serologically through the agar-gel precipitin test (AGPT) and also by a microneutralization test (MNT) adapted for 11 serotypes of avian adenovirus. The MNT detected specific antibodies to serotype-3 avian adenovirus (IBHV-Tipton) but no other serotype. While AGPT-positive sera drawn from the flock gradually declined from 54% to 17%, neutralizing-antibody levels rose sharply at 46 weeks of age to a peak that was maintained over the remaining 18 weeks of the flock's production.