Incidence and distribution of "avian adenovirus group II splenomegaly of chickens".

Forty-six percent of 3,585 serum samples from 174 broiler-breeder chicken flocks in 9 states were positive for the precipitating antibody of hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) of turkeys/marble spleen disease (MSD) of pheasants. Seroconversion was detected only in flocks 19 weeks of age and older. The percent of individual serum samples positive within a flock increased with the age of the flock.

Vaccination for hemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys.

Laboratory and field evidence indicates that a safe and effective procedure has been developed for vaccinating turkey poults against hemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys. Vaccination is by drinking-water administration of turkey-spleen-propagated pheasant-origin live avirulent virus to 4 1/2-week-old-poults. The effect of vaccination was studied in a field location having recurrent 10-15% mortality and in a second location having recurrent mortality of 0.1-0.2%. The poults involved totaled 214,554.

Experimental reproduction and antibody inhibition of marble spleen disease of pheasants.

An extract of spleens from three pheasants affected with marble spleen disease was used as an intravenous inoculum to transmit the disease to pen reared pheasants (Phasianus colchicus x Phasianus torquatus). The disease was prevented by specific convalescent pheasant antiserum and by antiserum from turkeys that had recovered from hemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys. The causative agent of the disease passed through 0.22 mu filters, resisted chloroform and retained its precipitin antigen quality after propagation by bird passage. Filterability, chloroform resistance, antigenic characteristics and in vivo response to antibody strongly indicate that the causative agents of marble spleen disease is a virus very similar to the virus which causes hemorrhagic enteritis of turkeys.