Effect of fowl adenovirus-1 (IBH isolate) on humoral and cellular immune competency of broiler chicks.

Fowl adenovirus-1 (FAV-1), isolated from field outbreaks of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), was administered orally to 3-week-old disease-free broiler chicks. Humoral immune competency was evaluated by determining the antibody response of infected chicks to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and Brucella abortus. FAV-1 infection significantly decreased the antibody response of chicks to B. abortus (T-cell-independent antigen) by decreasing IgM responses, however, the decreased antibody response to SRBC (T-cell-dependent antigen) was statistically non-significant. Bursal index was also found lowered in infected chicks as compared to the control chicks. A significant decrease was seen in blastogenesis response of peripheral blood lymphocytes to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA-P) in FAV-1-infected chicks on 2 and 3 weeks post-infection (WPI). These results indicated that FAV-1 affects humoral as well as cellular immune competency of infected chicks.

Effect of local lidocaine anesthesia on ventricular escape intervals during permanent pacemaker implantation in patients with complete heart block.

Transient asystole is often noted during the course of permanent pacemaker implantation in patients with complete heart block. Since subcutaneous lidocaine is frequently used as the local anesthetic agent for permanent pacemaker implantation, the effect of this drug on ventricular escape intervals was studied. Ventricular escape intervals after transient cessation of pacing were studied in 9 patients with complete heart block before and 10, 30, and 45 minutes after subcutaneous lidocaine administration for permanent pacemaker implantation. The total lidocaine dose ranged from 170 to 400 mg (1.9 to 9.5 mg/kg of body weight). Therapeutic blood levels were achieved in 7 patients. The mean ventricular escape interval before lidocaine was 1.83 +/- 0.32 seconds, which increased to 2.58 +/- 1.35, 2.96 +/- 1.06, and 2.68 +/- 1.27 seconds at 10, 30, and 45 minutes after lidocaine (p less than 0.02). The mean maximal escape interval before lidocaine was 2.06 +/- 0.30 seconds, which increased to 3.80 +/- 1.44 seconds (p less than 0.01), a mean increase of 84%. The percent increase in maximal escape interval was related directly to the peak lidocaine level achieved. After lidocaine administration, 5 patients had asystole greater than 4 seconds and 1 required resumption of pacing. Thus, subcutaneous lidocaine contributes to the occurrence of asystole seen during permanent pacemaker implantation. It is advisable to limit the amount of lidocaine administered during permanent pacemaker implantation to the minimum necessary to achieve adequate local anesthesia. Strong consideration should be given to the use of a temporary pacemaker in patients with complete heart block during permanent pacemaker implantation even in the absence of previous asystole.

Skeletal abnormalities in domestic chicken.

In 14,891 necropsies performed on domestic poultry during January 1976 to October 1977, two cases of skeletal abnormalities were found. One was a tarsometatarsal spur in an adult female chicken, and the other was a crossed-beak associated with microphthalmia.

Mycotic salpingitis in a Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

An adult female Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) was received for postmortem examination. Necropsy revealed the presence of white to grayish nodules 2-5 mm in diameter on the serosal surface of the oviduct. Aspergillus flavus was isolated from these nodules in pure culture. Histologically, these nodules were medium to large granulomatous lesions in serosa and the muscular wall of the oviduct. The lesions contained a large central necrotic core surrounded by giant cells, macrophages, and mononuclear cells. Similar cells in addition to heterophils also infiltrated the serosa, muscular layer, submucosa, and mucosa to varying degrees. Branched septate hyphae predominantly invaded the central caseous mass and to some extent invaded the surrounding areas of the nodules.

Congenital anomalies of domestic fowl: seven cases.

In 13,483 necropsies of domestic fowl, six anomalies were recorded: bifurcation of the metasternum, duplication of the ileum, pancreas divisum (partial), vesica fellea occulta, aplasia of the left cecum, and aplasia of the right kidney (2 cases).

Two congenital abnormalities in domestic chickens.

During routine necropsies performed in domestic chickens, two abnormalities were noticed in adult White Leghorn female birds; one was of the sternal keel (carina), and the other was of the cecum.

Three congenital anomalies of domestic fowl.

Of 35,000 necropsies performed on domestic poultry, three cases of anomalies were recorded. The anomalies observed were duplicate polydactyly, accessory hepatic lobe, and reduplication of caeca.

The use of PCR combined with restriction enzyme analysis to characterize fowl adenovirus field isolates from northern India.

Ten fowl adenoviruses (FAVs), isolated from suspected cases of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in quails and broilers, were characterized by a hexon-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with restriction enzyme analysis (REA) of the amplified DNA fragments. All the isolates could be detected using H1/H2 and H3/H4 primer sets. Amplification of DNA with H1/H2 and H3/H4 primer sets resulted in fragments of approximately 1219 bp and 1319 bp, respectively. HaeII digestion of the H1/ H2 PCR products and HpaII digestion of the H3/H4 PCR products characterized all the isolates in FAV groups, known from genomic typing using the whole DNA. For some of the isolates, neutralization tests were used to confirm these results. The results revealed that, as well as FAV serotype 1, which is the sole member of DNA group A, FAVs of DNA group E are also associated with IBH in poultry in northern India. The FAV specific PCR combined with REA was found to be very useful in investigating the epidemiological situation in the field. It was even possible to define mixed infections with more than one FAV.

An unusual case of rhabdomyosarcoma in a fowl.

A rhabdomyosarcoma is described on the head of a white leghorn which invaded the nasal cavity, intra-orbital septum and the left cerebral hemisphere.

Outbreak of mycotic tracheitis in domestic fowl.

An outbreak of mycotic tracheitis was observed in 8000 2-month-old, female White Leghorn birds. The birds were showing difficult respiration and there was mortality of 7-8 birds daily in the flock. On post-mortem examination of the affected birds, the trachea was found to be occluded with a white caseous mass. Microscopically hyphae were found invading the tracheal epithelium, cartilage and serosal layer along with infiltration of macrophages and lymphocytes. Aspergillus fumigatus was isolated in pure culture from the trachea. The birds responded to oral copper sulphate treatment. The ubiquitous occurrence of the organism and the conditions of the harvesting season have been found to be responsible for the outbreak of the disease.