Role of chicken astrovirus as a causative agent of gout in commercial broilers in India.

Several outbreaks of gout were reported in commercial broilers in India during 2011 and 2012, causing up to 40% mortality in the birds. Gross and histopathological observations confirmed gout. Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis from kidney samples of gout-affected birds indicated the presence of chicken astrovirus (CAstV) in 41.7% of cases and a mixed infection of CAstV and avian nephritis virus (ANV) in 36.4% of cases. CAstV isolated from gout-affected kidneys by inoculating embryonated specific pathogen free (SPF) eggs showed dwarfing in embryos and a cytopathic effect in chicken embryo kidney cells. Inoculation of 1-day-old SPF and broiler chicks with CAstVs caused gout and mortality between 4 and 10 days post inoculation. Virus isolation and qRT-PCR analysis showed the presence of only CAstV in inoculated chicks. Sequence analysis of capsid genes indicated a major group of Indian CAstVs that displayed 92.0 to 99.2% intergroup amino acid identity and 83.9 to 90.4% identity with subgroup Bi CAstVs of UK origin. We designated this group Indian Bi. Analysis of the partial polymerase amino acid sequences of our isolates indicated two groups of CAstVs (Indian 1 and 2) that displayed 90.2 to 95.5% amino acid identity between them. We thus report for the first time that, in addition to infectious bronchitis virus and ANV, CAstVs are a causative agent of gout.

Characterization of the host response in systemic isosporosis (atoxoplasmosis) in a colony of captive American goldfinches (Spinus tristis) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

Systemic isosporosis, also known as atoxoplasmosis, is a common parasitic disease of passerines. Infection is thought to be endemic in wild birds with fulminant, fatal disease occurring under the influence of stress, concurrent infections, or immunosuppression. Here, we describe the histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of the cellular infiltrate occurring in captive colonies of American goldfinches and house sparrows. Necropsies were performed on 9 birds, and histologic examination was performed on the intestines of 7 additional birds. Lesions were most severe in the proximal small intestines. Histologically, the changes ranged from variably intense infiltrates of lymphocytes that filled the lamina propria to sheets of large, atypical cells that expanded and obliterated normal mucosal epithelium and invaded through the wall of the intestine and into the ceolomic cavity. Both the smaller lymphocytes and large atypical cells were immunoreactive for CD3. Intracellular parasites consistent with Isospora were detected in the large atypical cells, but they were more easily detectable in the more differentiated lymphocytes. Polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation performed on tissues from 7 birds were negative for retroviruses and herpesvirus. The immunohistochemical results of this study and the destructive nature of the cellular infiltrate suggest that the lesion represents T-cell lymphoma. In birds, lymphomas are most often associated with herpes and retroviruses; the absence of these viruses suggests that the parasite initiated neoplastic transformation. Though much work needs to be done to prove the transformative nature of the lesions, these preliminary results suggest that passerine birds may be susceptible to parasite-associated lymphomas.

Pullorum Disease: Evolution of the Eradication Strategy.

The history of pullorum disease is closely intertwined with the history of avian health research and that of the poultry industry. The seriousness of the disease galvanized the attention and brought together, for the first time, the pioneers of poultry health research to work cooperatively on different aspects of the disease. Control of the disease made it possible for intensive poultry production to develop as the basis for the modern poultry industry. During the early 1900s, bacillary white diarrhea (BWD) was a devastating disease of young chickens threatening the developing poultry industry. Dr. Leo F. Rettger isolated and described the bacterial pathogen, Salmonella enterica serotype Pullorum, for the first time in 1900. BWD was renamed pullorum disease in 1929. In subsequent years, Rettger and coworkers were able to reproduce the disease and fulfill Koch's postulates. Rettger et al. also showed that Salmonella Pullorum was vertically transmitted, which was the first time that a pathogen was shown to be vertically transmitted. The development of serologic tests was of crucial importance because it led to the development of effective eradication methods to identify carrier birds and to exclude these birds from the breeder flocks. The negative impact of pullorum disease on the poultry industry ultimately was one of the major reasons that the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) was developed by scientists, the poultry industry, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Needless to say, the work of the pioneering researchers formed the basis for the control of the disease. The NPIP started in 1935, with 34 states participating in testing 4 million birds representing 58.2% of the birds hatched. The program rapidly expanded to 47 states by 1948 and tested more than 30 million birds. In 1967, all commercial chicken hatcheries participating in the NPIP were 100% free of pullorum and typhoid disease caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Gallinarum. This historical overview of pullorum disease describes in some detail the progress made, especially during the early years, toward controlling this disease using methodologies that were often very basic but nonetheless effective. One has to admire the ingenuity and persistence of the early researchers leading to their achievements considering the research tools that were available at the time.

Artículo histórico­Pulorosis: Evolución de las estrategias de erradicación La historia de la pulorosis está estrechamente relacionada con la historia de la investigación en salud aviar y de la industria avícola. La severidad de la enfermedad despertó la atención y reunió, por primera vez a los pioneros de la investigación en salud avícola para trabajar de manera cooperativa en diferentes aspectos de la enfermedad. El control de la enfermedad hizo posible que la producción avícola intensiva se desarrollara como base de la industria avícola moderna. A principios de la década de los 1900, la diarrea blanca bacilar (con las siglas en inglés BWD) era una enfermedad devastadora de pollos jóvenes que amenazaba la industria avícola en desarrollo. El Dr. Leo F. Rettger aisló y describió el patógeno bacteriano, Salmonella enterica serotipo Pullorum, por primera vez en 1900. La diarrea blanca bacilar pasó a llamarse pulorosis (pullorum disease) en 1929. En los años siguientes, Rettger y sus colaboradores pudieron reproducir la enfermedad y cumplir los postulados de Koch. Rettger y col. también mostraron que Salmonella Pullorum se transmitía verticalmente, y fue la primera vez que se demostró que un patógeno se transmitía verticalmente. El desarrollo de pruebas serológicas fue de crucial importancia porque condujo al desarrollo de métodos de erradicación efectivos para identificar aves portadoras y eliminar a estas aves de las parvadas reproductoras. El impacto negativo de la pulorosis en la industria avícola fue, en última instancia, una de las principales razones por las que los científicos, la industria avícola y el Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) desarrollaron el Plan Nacional de Mejoramiento Avícola (NPIP). Es importante decir que el trabajo de los investigadores pioneros formó la base para el control de la enfermedad. El Plan Nacional de Mejoramiento Avícola comenzó en año 1935, con 34 estados participando en el análisis de 4 millones de aves que representaban el 58.2% de las aves producidas. El programa se expandió rápidamente a 47 estados en 1948 y evaluó a más de 30 millones de aves. En 1967, todas las plantas incubadoras de pollos comerciales que participaban en el Plan Nacional de Mejoramiento Avícola estaban 100% libres de pulorosis y tifoidea aviar causada por Salmonella enterica serotipo Gallinarum. Esta reseña histórica de la pulorosis describe con cierto detalle el progreso realizado, especialmente durante los primeros años, hacia el control de esta enfermedad utilizando metodologías que a menudo eran muy básicas no obstante efectivas. Es admirable el ingenio y la persistencia de los primeros investigadores que los llevaron a sus logros considerando las herramientas de investigación que estaban disponibles en ese momento.

Chicken anemia virus.

Chicken anemia virus (CAV), the only member of the genus Gyrovirus of the Circoviridae, is a ubiquitous pathogen of chickens and has a worldwide distribution. CAV shares some similarities with Torque teno virus (TTV) and Torque teno mini virus (TTMV) such as coding for a protein inducing apoptosis and a protein with a dual-specificity phosphatase. In contrast to TTV, the genome of CAV is highly conserved. Another important difference is that CAV can be isolated in cell culture. CAV produces a single polycistronic messenger RNA (mRNA), which is translated into three proteins. The promoter-enhancer region has four direct repeats resembling estrogen response elements. Transcription is enhanced by estrogen and repressed by at least two other transcription factors, one of which is COUP-TF1. A remarkable feature of CAV is that the virus can remain latent in gonadal tissues in the presence or absence of virus-neutralizing antibodies. In contrast to TTV, CAV can cause clinical disease and subclinical immunosuppression especially affecting CD8+ T lymphocytes. Clinical disease is associated with infection in newly hatched chicks lacking maternal antibodies or older chickens with a compromised humoral immune response.

Common garden experiment reveals pathogen isolate but no host genetic diversity effect on the dynamics of an emerging wildlife disease.

Host genetic diversity can mediate pathogen resistance within and among populations. Here we test whether the lower prevalence of Mycoplasmal conjunctivitis in native North American house finch populations results from greater resistance to the causative agent, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), than introduced, recently-bottlenecked populations that lack genetic diversity. In a common garden experiment, we challenged wild-caught western (native) and eastern (introduced) North American finches with a representative eastern or western MG isolate. Although introduced finches in our study had lower neutral genetic diversity than native finches, we found no support for a population-level genetic diversity effect on host resistance. Instead we detected strong support for isolate differences: the MG isolate circulating in western house finch populations produced lower virulence, but higher pathogen loads, in both native and introduced hosts. Our results indicate that contemporary differences in host genetic diversity likely do not explain the lower conjunctivitis prevalence in native house finches, but isolate-level differences in virulence may play an important role.

An 8-year longitudinal survey for the presence of antibodies to chicken infectious anemia virus in two specific-pathogen-free strains of chickens.

Cornell University maintains two genetic lines of specific-pathogen-free chickens in a filtered-air, positive-pressure house as a closed colony. Offspring from each generation are maintained in the same house as the parents without clean-out between successive generations. The two lines have been persistently infected with chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) since the mid-1990s. All flocks were monitored from 1999 to 2008 for the presence of CIAV antibodies two to four times over the 65-wk life span of each flock, starting at approximately 15 wk of age. The serologic data were modeled using the logistic mixed model for seroprevalence and the Poisson generalized linear mixed model for seroconversion. We defined seroprevalence as the percentage of seropositive birds on a sampling date; seroconversion was defined as the difference in the percentage of seropositive birds between two subsequent bleeding dates. Seroprevalence varied between flocks from 1% to 95% but was never zero. Strain and gender in general did not influence seroprevalence or seroconversion rates, but sires of the P2a line had a significantly higher seroprevalence than all other groups. There are at least two different explanations possible for the extreme variation in seroconversion. The first one is that a low level of continuous horizontal infection from seropositive to seronegative birds occurs in the facility. The second explanation is based on the concept of latency of infection, with reactivation occurring during and after sexual maturity. Latency may occur in both seropositive and seronegative chickens. Our data are compatible with reactivation from latency, perhaps followed by limited horizontal spread as well as with a low level of continuous horizontal transmission. Although the fitted Poisson model supports both options, we propose that the reactivation from latency is the likely explanation for the observed data.

The contribution of feathers in the spread of chicken anemia virus.

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) spreads vertically and horizontally, however, the process is mostly still obscure. To further clarify the horizontal CAV spread, we examined the contribution of feathers. We demonstrated that CAV could be amplified from DNA purified from feather shafts of experimentally infected chicks, and the process efficacy was evaluated by comparing the amplification of DNA purified from feather shafts and lymphoid organs of CAV-experimentally infected chicks. DNA from feathers was found as an efficient source for CAV detection. Further, to substantiate whether CAV reaches the feather shafts passively via the blood, or intrinsically, causing histopathological changes, the feather follicle tissues were examined for CAV-induced lesions. Specific histological changes were found, however, immunohistochemistry failed to detect viral proteins. To determine whether the feather shafts are a source of infective virus, they were homogenized and used to infect 1-day-old chicks via the mucosal entries (eyes, nose and oropharynx). That infection mode simulates the natural route of horizontal infection in commercial poultry houses. We demonstrated the CAV-infection by serology, virology and pathology, showing that feather shafts carry infectious CAV either on their surface or within their feather pulp, and concluded that feathers contribute to the horizontal CAV dissemination.

Virus-Induced Immunosuppression in Chickens.

A healthy immune system is a cornerstone for poultry production. Any factor diminishing the immune responses will affect production parameters and increase cost. There are numerous factors, infectious and noninfectious, causing immunosuppression (IS) in chickens. This paper reviews the three viral diseases that most commonly induce IS or subclinical IS in chickens: Marek's disease virus (MDV), chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV), and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), as well as the interactions among them. MDV-induced IS (MDV-IS) affects both humoral and cellular immune responses. It is very complex, poorly understood, and in many cases underdiagnosed. Vaccination protects against some but not all aspects of MDV-IS. CIAV induces apoptosis of the hemocytoblasts resulting in anemia, hemorrhages, and increased susceptibility to bacterial infections. It also causes apoptosis of thymocytes and dividing T lymphocytes, affecting T helper functions, which are essential for antibody production and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) functions. Control of CIAV is based on vaccination of breeders and maternal antibodies (MAbs). However, subclinical IS can occur after MAbs wane. IBDV infection affects the innate immune responses during virus replication and humoral immune responses as a consequence of the destruction of B-cell populations. Vaccines with various levels of attenuation are used to control IBDV. Interactions with MAbs and residual virulence of the vaccines need to be considered when designing vaccination plans. The interaction between IBDV, CIAV, and MDV is critical although underestimated in many cases. A proper control of IBDV is a must to have proper humoral immune responses needed to control CIAV. Equally, long-term control of MDV is not possible if chickens are coinfected with CIAV, as CIAV jeopardizes CTL functions critical for MDV control.

Animal vaccination and the evolution of viral pathogens.

Despite reducing disease, vaccination rarely protects against infection and many pathogens persist within vaccinated animal populations. Circulation of viral pathogens within vaccinated populations may favour the development of vaccine resistance with implications for the evolution of virus pathogenicity and the emergence of variant viruses. The high rate of mutations during replication of ribonucleic acid (RNA) viruses is conducive to the development of escape mutants. In vaccinated cattle, unusual mutations have been found in the major antigenic site of foot and mouth disease virus, which is also involved in receptor recognition. Likewise, atypical changes have been detected in the immunodominant region of bovine respiratory syncytial virus. Large deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) viruses are able to recombine, generating new genotypes, as shown by the potential of glycoprotein E-negative vaccine strains of bovine herpesvirus-1 to recombine with wild-type strains. Marek's disease virus is often quoted as an example of vaccine-induced change in pathogenicity. The reasons for this increase in virulence have not been elucidated and possible explanations are discussed.

Demonstration of Marek's disease tumor-associated surface antigen in chickens infected with nononcogenic Marek's disease virus and herpesvirus of turkeys.

The presence of Marek's disease tumor-associated surface antigen (MATSA) was demonstrated on spleen cells from P-line chickens inoculated 5--6 days earlier with herpesvirus of turkeys and SB-1 (a nononcogenic Marek's disease virus). Antisera against MATSA expressed on five Marek's disease lymphoblastoid cell lines were able to recognize the MATSA present on SB-1-infected spleen cells. No viral membrane antigens and only a low incidence of viral internal antigens could be demonstrated.

Characterization of an apparently nononcogenic Marek's disease virus.

A new isolate of Marek's disease virus (MDV) was described. This virus, SB, and a clone, SB-1, differed from pathogenic isolates in in vitro growth characteristics as described for other apathogenic isolates. Serologically, as with other apathogenic isolates, SB could be distinguished from pathogenic MDV and the avirulent turkey herpesvirus. SB failed to induce lesions characteristic of Marek's disease (MD) during a 6- to 11-week experimental period. Also, SB was nononcogenic in immunosuppressed chickens or in chickens inoculated with this virus in ovo. However, under those conditions, SB caused a cytolytic infection. The term "nononcogenic" rather than "apopathogenic" was therefore proposed to classify this and similar isolates. SB-1 protected chickens against challenge with either virulent MDV or the non-virus-producing MD tumor transplant, JMV. Possible mechanisms of protection are discussed.

Latent infections with Marek's disease virus and turkey herpesvirus.

The number of plaque-forming units (PFU) from lymphocytes latently infected with oncogenic (GA-5) or nononcogenic (SB-1) Marek's disease virus (MDV) was decreased after complement lysis with antisera against thymus-derived lymphocytes or bursa-derived lymphocytes; an additive effect with dual treatment was observed. Complement lysis with antisera against Marek's disease tumor-associated surface antigen (putative tumor antigen) had little effect, which suggests an absence of the antigen on latently infected cells. None of the serum complement treatments affected the number of PFU from lymphocytes infected with turkey herpesvirus (HVT). No viral antigens were detected in spleen lymphocytes when removed from infected birds. After 42-72 hours of incubation, many cultured spleen cells from MDV-infected birds (JM-10, GA-5, and SB-1 isolates) contained viral antigen, whereas very few if any cultured cells from HVT-infected birds were positive. These data suggest that the nature of the latent infections with MDV and HVT may differ significantly.

Characterization of Marek's disease virus-infected lymphocytes: discrimination between cytolytically and latently infected cells.

Leukocyte suspensions derived from genetically Marek's disease (MD)-resistant N-line and MD-susceptible P-line chickens were fractionated at various times after exposure to the JM-10 clone of MD virus. At 3 and 5 days post exposure (DPE), during the productive-restrictive (cytolytic) phase, most infected spleen and thymus leukocytes were found to be low-density, nylon wool-adherent cells that possessed Fc receptors and surface Ia and IgM and were depleted by carbonyl iron treatment. This was true for leukocytes derived from N-line as well as those from P-line chickens. In contrast, most infected spleen cells derived from P-line chickens during the latent phase (i.e., after 7 DPE) were not found to have the above characteristics, with one exception: Ia antigen was demonstrated on the surface of latently infected cells. From these experiments it was concluded that the principal targets of the cytolytic JM-10 infection are B-cells, whereas the subsequent latent infection was found mostly in non-B-lymphocytes.

In vitro infection of lymphocytes with Marek's disease virus.

Suspension cultures of splenic lymphocytes, incubated at 41 degrees C, became infected with Marek's disease virus (MDV) following exposure to a) other infected lymphocytes, b) infected chicken kidney monolayer cultures, or c) cell-free MDV. Both viral antigen expression and virus isolation could be demonstrated after more than 40 passages made by the addition of fresh spleen cells at 2- to 3-day intervals. Susceptibility of spleen cells from bursectomized chickens was markedly lower than that of cells from intact birds. Furthermore, when spleen cell suspensions were depleted of cells having characteristics of bursa-derived cells, e.g., those with surface IgM, Fc receptors, or ability to adhere to nylon wool, the susceptibility of the cell suspension was diminished. Enrichment of the suspension with cells having those features enhanced overall susceptibility. The target cells for virus infection in vitro also were shown to be nonphagocytic, to be of low or medium density, and to bear Ia-like antigen. In vitro susceptibility to infection of spleen cells did not correlate with the genetic susceptibility of the donor to Marek's disease.

Surface antigens on Marek's disease lymphoblastoid tumor cell lines.

A total of 32 Marek's disease virus (MDV)-induced cell lines, 1 avian leukosis virus-induced cell line, and 1 reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)-induced lymphoblastoid cell line were investigated for the presence of Fc receptors, surface IgM, and Ia-like antigen. Surface IgM and Fc receptors could not be demonstrated on any of the cell lines. Ia-like antigen was detected on all MDV-induced cell lines and on the 1 REV-induced cell line. Ia-like antigen was unrelated to other antigens reported to be present on Marek's disease tumor cells. It was also unimportant as a target antigen for MDV-related, allogeneic cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The densities of the cells of 5 MDV-induced cell lines were established on continuous Percoll gradients. Most cells had densities between 1.05 and 1.06 g/ml.

Expression of a putative tumor-associated surface antigen on normal versus Marek's disease virus-transformed lymphocytes.

Various avian tumor cell lines and normal spleen cells from 3 genetic strains of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were examined for expression of Marek's disease (MD) tumor-associated surface antigen (MATSA). Two anti-MATSA monoclonal antibodies (RPH 6 and EB 29) and a rabbit anti-MATSA antiserum were used in indirect fluorescent antibody tests, and cells were examined by fluorescence microscopy and with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). Less than 5% MATSA-positive cells were observed in 2 non-MD tumor cell lines (LSCC-RP 9 and RECC-CU 60) with RPH 6, but 7-82% positive cells were observed with EB 29 or the rabbit antiserum. Five MD tumor cell lines (MDCC-CU 2, -CU 14, -CU 25, -CU 32, and -CU 41) had 12-72% positive cells detected with one or both monoclonals and 31-99% positive cells detected with the rabbit antiserum. Over 90% of cells in all MD lines were la and T3 positive, while values for the same parameters in LSCC-RP 9 were 100 and 3% and for RECC-CU 60, 48 and 51%, respectively. Evidence for cell-cycle-dependent expression of MATSA on MDCC-CU 2 was obtained from cell sorting experiments with the FACS and from examination of the MATSA-staining characteristics of 3 clones derived from the parent culture. Less than 5% MATSA-positive cells were observed in uncultured spleen cells from SPF chickens or in spleen cells stimulated for 48 hours with concanavalin A or phytohemagglutinin-M. However, with one exception, 10-53% of normal spleen cells were MATSA positive with RPH 6, after stimulation by mitogen for 24 or 48 hours followed by maintenance in conditioned medium (CM) for various times or after culture directly in CM for 3 days. More limited experiments with rabbit anti-MATSA antiserum yielded 55-85% MATSA-positive cells. From 60 to 97% of these MD virus-free, MATSA-positive cells were la-positive; and, in 2 cases, 89 and 90% were T3 positive.

Detection of chicken anemia virus in the gonads and in the progeny of broiler breeder hens with high neutralizing antibody titers.

Previous evidence for the presence of chicken anemia virus (CAV) in the gonads of immune specific-pathogen-free chickens raised the question whether this occurs also in commercial breeders. The presence of CAV was investigated by nested PCR in the gonads and spleens of hens from two 55- and 59-week-old, CAV-vaccinated (flocks 2 and 3), and two 48- and 31-week-old non-vaccinated broiler breeder flocks (flocks 1 and 4). In addition, lymphoid tissues of 20-day-old embryos from these hens were also investigated for the presence of CAV. CAV was detected in the gonads and of 5/6 and 11/22 of the vaccinated hens and in some hens also in the spleen alone. Embryos from 7/8 and 5/18 of these hens were positive. In the non-vaccinated flocks, CAV was detected in the gonads of 11/34 and 10/10 hens in flocks 1 and 4, respectively. In addition, 11 birds in flock 1 had positive spleens. CAV DNA was detected in 3/11 and 2/10 of their embryos. CAV-positive gonads and embryos were detected in samples from hens with moderate as well as high VN antibody titers. Vaccinated chickens positive for CAV in the gonads and in their embryos had VN titers ranging from >1:512 to <1:2048. In non-vaccinated chickens, the VN titers of CAV positive chickens ranged from 1:128 to 1:4096. These results demonstrate that CAV genome can remain present in the gonads of hens in commercial broiler breeder flocks even in the presence of high neutralizing antibody titers that have been associated with protection against CAV vertical transmission. It also suggests that transmission to the progeny may occur irrespectively of the level of the humoral immune response in the hens.

Cellular responses in chickens treated with IFN-alpha orally or inoculated with recombinant Marek's disease virus expressing IFN-alpha.

Mammalian type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) are potent mediators of innate antiviral immune responses, in particular through enhancement of natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. Recently, chicken IFN-alpha (ChIFN-alpha) has been identified and shown to ameliorate Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection when given to chickens at relatively high concentrations in the drinking water. In this report, the effect of recombinant ChIFN-alpha (rChIFN-alpha) on NK cell cytotoxicity was examined using (51)Cr-release assays. NK cell cytotoxic activity was also analyzed following inoculation with attenuated Marek's disease virus (MDV) serotype 1 strain R2/23 and a recombinant MDV (parent strain R2/23)-expressing ChIFN-alpha [rMDV(IFN-alpha)]. Treatment of chickens with high doses of rChIFN-alpha in the drinking water significantly decreased NK cell cytotoxicity compared with untreated chickens over a 7-day period. Inoculation of chickens with R2/23 significantly decreased NK cell cytotoxicity as well, whereas the rMDV(IFN-alpha) had no effect on NK cell cytotoxicity. Treatment of chicken embryo cell cultures with rChIFN-alpha inhibited replication of the very virulent MDV RB-1B strain in vitro, and oral treatment of chickens with rChIFN-alpha reduced MDV R2/23 replication in vivo.

Specific and nonspecific immune responses to Marek's disease virus.

Marek's disease (MD) virus (MDV) has provided an important model to study immune responses against a lymphoma-inducing herpesvirus in its natural host. Infection in chickens starts with a lytic infection in B cells, followed by a latent infection in T cells and, in susceptible birds, T cell lymphomas develop. Non-specific and specific immune responses are important for the control of virus infection and subsequent tumor development. Interferon-gamma and nitric oxide are important for the control of virus replication during the lytic phase of infection and are also important to prevent reactivation of MDV replication in latently infected and transformed cells. Cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) are the most important of the specific immune responses in MDV. In addition to antigen-specific CTL against MDV proteins pp38, glycoprotein B (gB), Meq, and ICP4, ICP27-specific CTL can also be detected as early as 6 to 7 days post infection. The epitope for gB recognized by CTLs from P2a (MHC: B(19)B(19)) chickens has been localized to the Eco47III-BamHI (nucleotides 1515-1800) fragment. A proposed model for the interactions of cytokines and immune responses as part of the pathogenesis of MD is discussed.

A chromium release assay for the assessment of spontaneous and immune hemolysis of heterologous erythrocytes by sera of rainbow trout.

This report describes the development of a microtiter system for measuring spontaneous hemolytic activity and immune hemolysins in rainbow trout serum. The chromium release assay, utilizing complement-mediated lysis of heterologous erythrocytes allows rapid, efficient quantitation of hemolytic activity in small serum samples from numerous fish.