Pathogenesis of rotavirus infection in various age groups of chickens and turkeys: clinical signs and virology

Age-related susceptibility patterns of turkeys, broilers, and specific pathogen-free (SPF) White Leghorn chickens to experimentally induced infection with turkey or chicken rotavirus isolates were compared. The following determinants were evaluated: clinical signs, onset and duration of virus production, viral titers, involvement of intestinal villi in the replication of the virus, and the development of antibodies against the virus. Older turkeys and chickens were more susceptible than were their younger counterparts, turkeys were more susceptible than were broiler and White Leghorn chickens (regardless of age), and broiler chickens were slightly more susceptible than were age-matched White Leghorn chickens. Turkeys developed diarrhea, accompanied by high viral titers within 1 day after inoculation with virus. Viral antigen was found in the epithelial cells of the intestinal villi throughout the intestinal tract and some cells of the cecal tonsils. Antibodies could be detected as early as 4 to 5 days after inoculation. These findings were more pronounced in turkeys inoculated at 112 days of age than in birds inoculated at a younger age. Age-related susceptibility patterns were similar in White Leghorn and broiler chickens. Infection was subclinical in birds less than 56 days old, whereas older birds developed soft feces. Egg production in the White Leghorn chickens decreased after being inoculated with virus at 350 days of age.     

Enteropathogenicity of Dutch and German avian reoviruses in SPF white leghorn chickens and broilers

The enteropathogenicity of avian reoviruses (ARVs), isolated from chickens affected with malabsorption syndrome (MAS) from The Netherlands and Germany was studied. In the first trial seven different ARVs isolated from MAS cases were inoculated in 1-day-old specific pathogenic free (SPF) white leghorns. The pathogenicity was compared with 2 ARVs isolated from cases of tenosynovitis, namely reference strain S1133 and a Dutch strain. Although a difference in the severity of the clinical disease was observed, all reoviruses could induce vacuolar degeneration and sloughing of the epithelium of the small intestine at day 2 post inoculation (PI) till day 7 PI. Two Dutch and one German ARV derived from MAS causing the most severe intestinal lesions at day 2 PI, were further studied in the second trial using SPF broilers. These reoviruses did not cause weight gain depression in the broilers although lesions in the small intestine were present from day 1 up to day 4 PI and were more severe than in the white leghorn chickens. In one of the inoculated groups apical denuded villi were already present at day 1 PI. At day 7 PI the small intestine of the infected broilers appeared to be normal. Reovirus antigen was detected in the cytoplasm of the enterocytes at the tip and middle section of the affected villi both in layers and in broilers. To study the role of intestinal CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells and macrophages/monocytes in the pathogenesis of ARV, the numbers of these cells of the jejunal villi of one infected and the control broiler groups were compared. CD4+ T-cells were detected in low numbers and only in the infected broiler group at day 14 PI. The numbers of CD8+ T-cells and macrophages/monocytes were significantly higher in the infected broiler group than in the control broiler group at day 7 and 14 PI and at day 7 PI respectively. Our study indicates that the reovirus alone cannot induce intestinal lesions as found in MAS chickens. Moreover, CD8+ T-cells may play a major role in the pathogenesis and or reovirus clearance in the small intestine.     

Replication of a waterfowl-origin influenza virus in the kidney and intestine of chickens

Intravenous inoculation of chickens with a waterfowl-origin type A influenza virus resulted in high titers of virus in kidney tissues and viral nucleoprotein in renal tubular epithelial cells and in intestinal mucosal epithelial cells. Virus titers in kidneys of four of eight clinically normal chickens sampled on days 3 and 5 postinoculation (PI), one dead chicken on day 3 PI, and one dead chicken on day 7 PI exceeded 10(6) mean embryo infectious dose per gram of tissue. Using immunofluorescent and immunoperoxidase staining, viral nucleoprotein was identified in the cytoplasm and nucleus of tubular epithelial cells in kidneys and in nucleus of mucosal epithelial cells lining villi in the lower small intestine. Based on the low intravenous pathogenicity index for this virus (0.3) along with the high virus titers in kidney tissues and localization of viral antigen in kidney important site for replication of avian influenza (AI) virus of low pathogenicity. Recovery of type A influenza viruses from cloacal swabs could result from viral replication in kidneys as well as in the lower intestine and/or the bursa of Fabricius.     

Fluorescent antibody test for rapid diagnosis of coronaviral enteritis of turkeys (bluecomb).

Intestinal tissues obtained from coronavirus-infected embryos and turkeys were examined by fluorescent antibody tissue section technique (FAT). Evidence of viral antigen was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of the intestinal epithelial cells covering the villi. Embryo intestines that were examined from 24 to 96 hours after inoculation were positive for immunofluorescence (IF), whereas bursa of Fabricius was negative. Poults hatched from infected embryos were examined at 2 days of age and were positive for IF. Coronaviral antigen was detected by FAT in the cytoplasm of intestinal epithelial cells of the jejunum, ileum, duodenum, and cecum in all turkeys that were examined from 24 hours to 28 days.     

Host range of A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/83 (H5N2) influenza virus

The highly pathogenic A/Chicken/Penn./1370/83 (H5N2) avian influenza virus, which caused 80% mortality in chickens in Pennsylvania, produced only mild transient illness in experimentally infected pheasants, little or no clinical signs in ring-billed gulls and pigs, and no clinical signs in pekin ducks. Virus could be recovered from only the upper respiratory tract of gulls and pigs for 1-2 days. Infection in ducks resulted in intestinal replication of virus in only 1 out of 12 ducks. By contrast, pheasants shed virus in feces (10(4.7) EID50) for at least 15 days. These studies reinforce wildlife surveillance findings indicating that gulls and ducks are unlikely to have transmitted virus between chicken farms during the 1983 outbreak. Although experimental data suggest that wild gallinaceous birds such as pheasants are potentially capable of virus transmission, there has been no evidence of this from wildlife surveillance in Pennsylvania. Experimental infection of chickens with H5N2 virus isolated from wild ducks one year before the Pennsylvania outbreak or a gull virus (H5N1) isolated in the quarantine area in 1983 resulted in asymptomatic infections and virus replication occurring only in the upper respiratory tract. These studies suggest that if the first H5N2 virus infecting chickens in Pennsylvania originated from waterbirds, changes in host specificity and pathogenicity for chickens and other gallinaceous birds probably occurred during emergence of the Chicken/Penn./83 virus. It is recommended that attention be given in the future to the isolation of domestic poultry from contact with wild aquatic birds.     

Isolation of avian reovirus as a possible etiologic agent of osteoporosis ("brittle bone disease"; "femoral head necrosis") in broiler chickens

Avian reovirus was isolated from intestines of 3-to-7-day-old broiler chickens with enteritis from broiler houses where osteoporosis was a problem. The virus was purified in a cesium chloride gradient (buoyant density 1.37 gm/ml) and identified as a reovirus by electron microscopy. Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens and commercial broiler chickens with anti-reovirus maternal antibodies inoculated at 1 day of age with the reovirus isolate developed lesions of femoral head fractures and/or osteoporosis; reovirus could be reisolated from the bone marrow and intestinal tracts of experimentally infected SPF birds. The reovirus isolate, although isolated from intestines, induced development fo tenosynovitis lesions in SPF and commercial broiler chickens.     

Gallid-1 herpesvirus infection in the chicken. 3. Reinvestigation of the pathogenesis of infectious laryngotracheitis in acute and early post-acute respiratory disease

Specific-pathogen-free chickens were infected via the trachea when 4 weeks old with 2000 plaque-forming units (PFU) of the virulent Australian infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus strain CSW-1. Titers of ILT virus in the trachea were greatest (10(7.0) PFU/ml in washings, 10(6.0) PFU/g of tissue) 2-4 days postinfection (PI). Infectivity then declined rapidly, to become undetectable by 7 days PI, although highly localized areas of ILT antigen in the tracheal epithelium were occasionally observed by fluorescent antibody staining at 7 and 8 days PI. Tracheal organ cultures established 7 and 8 days PI provided no evidence of latent ILT virus infection at this immediate post-acute stage of pathogenesis. ILT virus was not isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes or lymphoid organs (spleen, bursa, thymus). ILT virus was found in the trigeminal ganglia and/or brain in 14 of 36 chickens (40%) examined between 4 and 7 days after intratracheal inoculation, but it was not in these tissues in five chickens examined at 8 days PI. Virus was also detected at 6 days PI in the trigeminal ganglia in one of five chickens infected by the conjunctival route. These data indicate that the early pathogenesis of ILT (CSW-1) infection frequently involves the tissues of the nervous system. In acute ILT in 4-week-old chickens, interferon-alpha/beta activity was not detectable in serum or tracheal exudates within 14 days PI, but tracheal washings contained significant virus-neutralizing activity by 7 and 8 days PI. In 3-day-old chickens infected via the trachea with 200 PFU of ILT CSW-1, the clearance of ILT virus from the trachea was similar to that observed in 4-week-old chickens, but ILT virus spread systemically to the livers of 20% by 5-7 days PI.     

Importance of the medullary macrophage in the replication of lymphoid leukosis virus in the bursa of Fabricius of chickens

Electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry were used to study the development of lymphoid leukosis virus infection in the bursa of Fabricius of experimentally infected chicken embryos and chickens. In embryos infected at 7 days of incubation and killed 10 days later, virus particles and group-specific viral antigen were confined mainly to the connective tissue of the lamina propria of the bursal mucosal folds; a few developing follicles had discrete virions and group-specific antigen between cells. In chickens infected at 1 day of age, infection (as determined by use of electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry) was maximal in 1- to 4-month-old birds, and the greatest concentration of virus and group-specific viral antigen was in the medulla of the follicles. Although lymphoid leukosis virus was released from lymphocytes, epithelial cells, and macrophages, virus replication in the medullary macrophages was more active than that in the other cells. Normal medullary macrophages had cell membrane vesicles (50 to 80 nm in diameter) that covered part of all of the cell membrane surface. In infected chickens, virus particles frequently developed within these vesicles. Comparable vesicles were not found on cortical macrophages. Results of the present study indicated that the medullary macrophage was the principal host cell for replication of lymphoid leukosis virus in the bursa of Fabricius of the chicken.     

Colostral transmission of maedi visna virus: sites of viral entry in lambs born from experimentally infected ewes

Maedi visna virus (MVV) vertical transmission in sheep via infected colostrums is a very important route of infection in lambs. To verify colostral transmission and to study early viral entry in lambs, colostrum samples, and small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes of lambs born from experimentally infected ewes were examined by histopathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridisation (ISH) studies. In particular, newborn lambs were naturally fed maternal colostrum and humanely killed at 10, 24, 48, 72, 96 h and 7 and 10 days after birth; two caesarian-derived lambs served as uninfected controls. No lesions suggestive of MVV infection were found, but marked immunoreactions for MVV capsid antigen (CA, p28) were detected in lambs fed maternal colostrum and in macrophages cultured from colostrum. IHC results in lambs suggest an initial viral absorption by intestinal epithelial cells at the tip of the villi, passage to mononuclear cells in the lamina propria and involvement of ileum Peyers' patches and mesenteric lymph nodes, with different staining patterns depending on infection times. ISH on intestinal sections of the 72 h lamb revealed the presence of proviral DNA in epithelial cells at the tip of the villi, suggesting a role for these cells in early MVV replication. The results contribute to knowledge about the pathogenesis of ovine lentivirus infection suggesting that the small intestine and mesenteric nodes are the sites of entry and propagation of MVV in lambs fed colostrums from infected ewes.     

Viral tissue tropisms and interferon production in white leghorn chickens infected with two avian reovirus strains

Inoculation of 6-day-old and 4-week-old chickens with pathogenic or attenuated avian reovirus resulted in an inapparent infection. The virus had a greater tissue distribution and persisted longer in tissues of 6-day-old chickens. Interferon was detected in only the serum and lung of infected chickens and appeared to be related to route of inoculation. Titers of interferon were greater and appeared sooner in the tissues of older chickens. Reovirus-neutralizing antibody was not detected in the serum of chickens of either age 120 days postinfection.     

单抗免疫过氧化物酶技术检测鸡传染性支气管炎病毒

以抗鸡传染性支气管病毒（ＩＢＶ）核衣壳蛋白（Ｎ）的单抗株６ＤＨ８作为一抗,以辣根过氧化物酶标记的羊抗鼠ＩｇＧ作为二抗,建立了检测石蜡切片中ＩＢＶ抗原的单抗免疫过氧化物酶技术（Ｍｃ－ＩＰ）,并对人工攻毒鸡及临床ＩＢＶ感染疑似鸡进行了检测。在ＩＢＶＭ４１株人工攻毒鸡,用该技术于１～１２ｄ从气管、２～７ｄ从肾脏可以检测到ＩＢＶ抗原,阳性染色集中于气管粘膜上皮细胞及肾小管上皮细胞胞浆;临床疑为ＩＢＶ感染的病鸡,以Ｍｃ－ＩＰ技术和单抗免疫荧光试验（Ｍｃ－ＩＦＡ）同时进行检测,结果阳性率分别为９０．３％及８３．９％。     

Passive protection against porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus in piglets by colostrum from immunized cows.

The effects of hyperimmune cow colostrum (HCC) on experimentally induced porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) were investigated in piglets. In experiment 1, four 2-day-old piglets fed HCC containing an antibody titer of 1:512 and another four piglets fed unimmune cow colostrum (UCC) were orally inoculated with 10LD50 of PED virus. The piglets were given colostrum three times a day at 4 hr intervals. Half of the piglets fed HCC showed diarrhea and recovered, and all piglets survived. In contrast, all piglets fed UCC developed diarrhea and three of them died. In experiment 2, 2-day-old piglets fed HCC containing antibody titers of 1:512, 1:128 and 1:32, and UCC were inoculated with PED virus, and survival rates after challenge were 100, 75, 50 and 0 %, respectively. In experiment 3, 1-day-old piglets fed HCC with 1:512 antibody titer or UCC were inoculated and necropsied at 24, 48 and 72 hr after the inoculation for pathological examination. Piglets fed HCC remained healthy and PED virus antigen was not detected in the epithelial cells of the small intestine, and the length of the villi in small intestine was normal. On the other hand, in piglets fed UCC, villous atrophy and PED virus antigen were observed in epithelial cells of the jejunum and ileum from 24 hr. It was concluded that oral administration of HCC to piglets was effective in preventing PED virus infection and reduced their mortality.     

1株肾型鸡传染性支气管炎病毒的鉴定

鸡传染性支气管炎病毒(IBV)具有不同致病特性,将IBV XDC-2株接种9日龄SPF鸡胚培养,可引起鸡胚死亡和出现侏儒胚,病毒EID50达5×10-5.33/mL。将IBV XDC-2株接种18日龄SPF鸡,饲养观察14 d,病鸡临床症状表现为:精神沉郁,羽毛凌乱,双翅下垂,轻微腹泻,多数拉白色水样稀粪。病死鸡出现肾肿大、呈花斑状、大量尿酸盐沉积。鸡发病率为100%,死亡率为25%。死亡鸡肺脏、肾组织制作组织切片,发现病理变化明显,主要为:肾小管扩张,上皮细胞呈玻璃样变性,部分管腔内可见坏死脱落之上皮细胞,于肾间质可见大量单核细胞浸润,肾间质有充血、出血现象;肺内动脉、毛细血管充血,淋巴细胞浸润。死亡鸡肺脏、肾组织接种鸡胚分离病毒,RT-PCR检测结果为阳性,表明该分离株为鸡传染性支气管炎病毒,具有很强的嗜肾性。     

Detection of a macrophage-specific antigen and the production of interferon gamma in chickens infected with Newcastle disease virus

Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded spleen and intestinal tissues were harvested at 2 days postinfection from 4-wk-old white rock chickens infected with five different strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). These tissues were examined for the presence of macrophage antigen expression, virus replication, and interferon gamma (IFN gamma) production. The five strains represented all three NDV pathotypes. Viral replication and IFN gamma, as determined by riboprobe in situ hybridization, were detected only in those chickens infected with velogenic viscerotropic NDV (VVNDV) strains. Macrophage antigen expression, an indicator of macrophage activation, was determined by immunohistochemistry with a macrophage-specific antibody, CVI-ChNL-68.1. Presence of macrophage antigen was most prominent in VVNDV-infected chickens. The distribution of this antigen within tissues was far more diffuse than the staining for viral mRNA. The presence of IFN gamma mRNA was detected in the spleen and intestinal lymphoid tissue of VVNDV-infected chickens. There was also increased macrophage antigen expression in the mesogen-infected birds, but it was less dramatic than in tissues from VVNDV-infected chickens. One of two lentogen-infected birds had evidence of increased macrophage antigen expression only in the spleen.     

Immunohistochemical study on the delayed progression of epithelial apoptosis in follicle-associated epithelium of rat Peyer's patch

It is well known that some caspases in apoptosis is involved in determinant of terminal differentiation and maturation of various cells. Our previous study ultrastructurally clarified the differentiation into M cells from immature microvillous epithelial cells and the redifferentiation from M cells to microvillous epithelial cells in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of rat Peyer's patch. In this study, the difference of epithelial apoptosis between the FAE of Peyer's patch and intestinal villi was immunohistochemically investigated in rat jejunoileum. As a result, cleaved caspase-3 was limited to several epithelial cells at the tip of FAE, whereas almost all of the epithelial cells were cleaved caspase-3 positive in intestinal villi. Cleaved caspase-9 was detected only in a few exfoliating or exfoliated epithelial cells of both FAE and intestinal villi. Nuclear DNA-fragmentation was detected only in several epithelial cells of the tip of FAE, while it was expressed from the middle regions in the intestinal villi. The DNase I expression of the epithelial cytoplasm was much weaker in FAE than in intestinal villi. Bcl-x expression was restricted in the apical cytoplasms of epithelial cells in the FAE, whereas it was restricted in whole cytoplasms in villous epithelial cells. These findings suggest that the progression of the apoptotic process in the epithelial cells of FAE is later than in the intestinal villi, so that the possibility of epithelial differentiation might be remained in the FAE, unlike in the intestinal villi.     

Localization of astrovirus in experimentally infected turkeys as determined by in situ hybridization

Twenty-one 3-day-old turkey poults from British United Turkeys of America were orally inoculated with a recently characterized astrovirus, TAstV-2, isolated from turkeys with poult enteritis and mortality syndrome. At 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 9 days postinfection (dpi), three inoculated birds were euthanatized, and tissues (intestines, spleen, bursa, and thymus) were collected immediately into 10% neutral buffered formalin. Inoculated birds were diarrheic by 3 dpi, and frothy feces persisted throughout the experimental period. Histologically, there was only slight evidence of enteric damage, which was characterized by mild epithelial necrosis, lamina propria infiltrates, minimal villus atrophy, and mild crypt hyperplasia. In situ hybridization, using a negative sense digoxigenin-labeled riboprobe to the capsid gene of TAstV-2, revealed viral RNA in intestinal epithelial cells at the basal margins of the villi, in distal small intestine, and in cecum at 2 dpi, with subsequent extension to epithelium of the large intestine and proximal small intestine (3-5 dpi). Minimal virus remained by 9 dpi.     

Nephropathogenesis of chickens experimentally infected with various strains of infectious bronchitis virus

Four-day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens were inoculated by eyedrop with four different strains (Gray, JMK, CV56b, and Wolgemuth) of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Birds were monitored clinically and euthanatized at 1, 4, 7, and 14 days postinfection and tissues were collected for virus isolation, histopathologic examination, in situ hybridization (ISH), and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Clinical disease was severe in chickens infected with Wolgemuth, but no overt disease was observed with the other strains. Virus was isolated from the kidneys of chickens infected with the Gray-, CV56b-, and Wolgemuth-strains of IBV. Histologically, interstitial nephritis was evident in chickens infected with these same 3 strains. However, viral nucleic acid and antigen were detected only with Wolgemuth-infected kidneys by ISH and IHC. These results indicate that the pathological changes in kidneys from chickens infected with Gray and CV56b may not have resulted from the cytolytic action of the virus.     

Rocket Immunoelectrophoresis in the Diagnosis of Infectious Bursal Disease

The rocket immunoelectrophoresis (RIE) test was used for the qualitative detection and quantitative estimation of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) specific antigen in experimentally infected chickens and samples collected from suspected outbreaks. The IBDV specific antigen was detected in the bursae of experimentally inoculated chickens up to 5 days post infection (PI) by the agar gel precipitation (AGP) test and 7 days PI by the RIE test. The RIE detected IBDV specific antigen in a significantly greater number of samples collected from the field outbreaks than the conventional AGP test. Exudative bursae were found to have a higher antigen content than haemorrhagic bursae and are recommended as the material of choice for diagnosis of IBD. This test could also be used to quantify IBDV specific antigen in commercial killed vaccines.     

Pathogenesis of marble spleen disease in bursectomized and non-bursectomized ring-necked pheasants following oral inoculation with cell-culture-propagated virus.

Seventy-two 13-week-old ring-necked pheasants were inoculated orally with 5.0 x 10(2) tissue-culture infective dose (TCID) of cell-culture-propagated marble spleen disease virus. Inoculated birds exhibited neither mortality nor clinical disease. Gross and histologic lesions were typical of marble spleen disease. The mean splenic weight was significantly (P less than 0.02) higher in inoculated birds than in controls between 6 and 10 days postinoculation (PI). The histologic splenic lesions, which consisted of reticuloendothelial cell hyperplasia, intranuclear inclusions within reticuloendothelial cells, and lymphoid depletion, were most prominent between 6 and 10 days PI. In a second experiment, 1-day-old pheasants were chemically bursectomized by dosing birds with 1.2 mg cyclophosphamide on 3 consecutive days. At 7 weeks of age, 54 bursectomized birds were inoculated orally with 5.0 x 10(2) TCID of marble spleen disease virus. Gross and histologic lesions were detected in one of the inoculated pheasants, but the mean splenic weight was not significantly different from control birds at any time PI. These results are evidence of the role of the bursa of Fabricius in the pathogenesis of marble spleen disease.     

Polymerase chain reaction for detection of avian leukosis virus subgroup J in feather pulp

Feather pulp from experimentally infected chickens was used as a source of DNA for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) proviral DNA. A primer set that produces a large amplicon (approximately 2,125) was used to detect ALV-J proviral DNA. This primer set was used in lieu of previously published primers because it allows for sequencing of the entire envelope gene and because it was able to detect diagnostically a number of North American ALV-J isolates that could not be detected with previously published primers and PCR conditions. ALV-J proviral DNA was detected in feather pulp at 7 days of age in more than 90% of birds infected as embryos and 7 days postinoculation in over 50% of chickens infected at 3 days of age. The results obtained with PCR on feather pulp were compared with those of virus isolation. In the embryo-inoculated birds, the percentages of agreement between PCR and virus isolation were 92.5% at 7 days of age and 100% at 28, 42, 49, and 56 days of age. However, the overall sensitivity of virus isolation in embryo-infected birds was higher, particularly at 7 and 56 days of age. In chickens inoculated at 3 days of age, the percentages of agreement of detection between PCR and virus isolation ranged from 75% at 10 days of age to 100% at 42 days of age. Agreement of negative results of ALV-J detection by PCR and virus isolation in chickens infected posthatch ranged between 66.6% and 100% between the ages of 10 and 42 days. Virus isolation requires chicken embryo fibroblasts of specific genetic lines, and the process takes onaverage 7-9 days. Aseptic collection of blood and tissues for virus isolation and molecular detection of ALV-J requires sterile necropsy instruments as well as syringes and needles for each individual chicken, whereas sterile microcentrifuge tubes and gloves are the only equipment necessary for aseptic feather pulp collection for ALV-J detection by PCR. PCR-based detection of ALV-J in feather pulp is especially suitable when ALV-J infection must be diagnosed rapidly and unequivocally without killing the chicken(s) and in situations where crucial reagents or suitable virus propagation substrates are not readily available for isolation and propagation of ALV-J in cell culture.