Residues of aflatoxins in the liver,muscle and eggs of domestic fowls

The residue of aflatoxins in the liver, muscle and eggs of laying ducks, hens and quails and in broiler chickens was examined by conducting 7-day feeding experiments with a diet containing 3 ppm Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Birds were sacrificed on the 8th or 11th day of AFB1 feeding. AFB1 and its metabolites in the tissues and eggs were determined by HPLC. The tissue levels of AFB1 and its metabolites were higher in quail than in the other birds. The levels of AFB1 and its metabolites, including acid-hydrolyzable metabolites, were more than 10-fold higher in the liver than in the muscle in all the species. The ratio of AFB1 in the feed to the residual level in the liver was 383 in quail, but was > or = 5769 in the other birds. The corresponding ratios in the egg yolk and albumen of AFB1 were 4615 and 3846, respectively, in chicken hens, and these values were higher than those in the other birds.     

Pathogenicity and transmission of reticuloendotheliosis virus isolated from endangered prairie chickens

The pathogenicity and transmission of a field isolate of reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) was studied using an experimental model in Japanese quail. Oncogenicity was also evaluated after inoculations in chickens and turkeys. The original REV (designated APC-566) was isolated from Attwater's prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri), an endangered wild avian species of the southern United States. The transmissibility of the REV isolate was studied in young naive Japanese quail in contact with experimentally infected quail. Vertical transmission was not detected by virus isolation and indirect immunofluorescence. Seroconversion was detected in few contact quails, suggesting horizontal transmission. The APC-566 isolate induced tumors beginning at 6 wk of age in quails infected as embryos. Most of the tumors detected in Japanese quail were lymphosarcomas, and 81% of these neoplasias contained CD3+ cells by immunoperoxidase. REV APC-566 was also oncogenic in chickens and turkeys infected at 1 day of age, with tumors appearing as early as 58 days after infection in chickens and at 13 wk of age in turkeys. This study was conducted in part as an attempt to understand the potential for pathogenicity and transmission of REV isolated from endangered avian species.     

Pathogenicity of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses of H5N1 subtype isolated in Thailand for different poultry species

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the H5N1 subtype have caused several rounds of outbreaks in Thailand. In this study, we used 3 HPAI viruses isolated in Thailand in January 2004 from chicken, quail, and duck for genetic and pathogenetic studies. Sequence analysis of the entire genomes of these isolates revealed that they were genetically similar to each other. Chickens, quails, domestic ducks, and cross-bred ducks were inoculated with these isolates to evaluate their pathogenicity to different host species. A/chicken/Yamaguchi/7/04 (H5N1), an HPAI virus isolated in Japan, was also used in the chicken and quail studies for comparison. All four isolates were shown to be highly pathogenic to chickens and quails, with 100% mortality by 10(6) EID50 inoculants of the viruses. They caused sudden death in chickens and quails within 2-4 days after inoculation. The mean death times (MDT) of quails infected with the Thai isolates were shorter than those of chickens infected with the same isolates. Mortality against domestic and cross-bred ducks ranged from 50 to 75% by intranasal inoculation with the 10(6) EID50 viruses. Neurological symptoms were observed in most of the inoculated domestic ducks and appeared less severe in the cross-bred ducks. The MDTs of the ducks infected with the Thai isolates were 4.8-6 days post-inoculation. Most of the surviving ducks infected with the Thai isolates had sero-converted until 14 dpi. Our study illustrated the pathobiology of the Thai isolates against different poultry species and would provide useful information for improving control strategies against HPAI.     

Experimental infection of chickens, ducks and quails with the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) of the H5N1 subtype have spread since 2003 in poultry and wild birds in Asia, Europe and Africa. In Korea, the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks took place in 2003/2004, 2006/2007 and 2008. As the 2006/2007 isolates differ phylogenetically from the 2003/2004 isolates, we assessed the clinical responses of chickens, ducks and quails to intranasal inoculation of the 2006/2007 index case virus, A/chicken/Korea/IS/06. All the chickens and quails died on 3 days and 3-6 days post-inoculation (DPI), respectively, whilst the ducks only showed signs of mild depression. The uninoculated chickens and quails placed soon after with the inoculated flock died on 5.3 and 7.5 DPI, respectively. Both oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs were taken for all three species during various time intervals after inoculation. It was found that oropharyngeal swabs showed higher viral titers than in cloacal swabs applicable to all three avian species. The chickens and quails shed the virus until they died (up to 3 to 6 days after inoculation, respectively) whilst the ducks shed the virus on 2-4 DPI. The postmortem tissues collected from the chickens and quails on day 3 and days 4-5 and from clinically normal ducks that were euthanized on day 4 contained the virus. However, the ducks had significantly lower viral titers than the chickens or quails. Thus, the three avian species varied significantly in their clinical signs, mortality, tissue virus titers, and duration of virus shedding. Our observations suggest that duck and quail farms should be monitored particularly closely for the presence of HPAIV so that further virus transmission to other avian or mammalian hosts can be prevented.     

Using mean infectious dose of high- and low-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses originating from wild duck and poultry as one measure of infectivity and adaptation to poultry

The mean infectious doses of selected avian influenza virus (AIV) isolates, determined in domestic poultry under experimental conditions, were shown to be both host-dependent and virus strain-dependent and could be considered one measure of the infectivity and adaptation to a specific host. As such, the mean infectious dose could serve as a quantitative predictor for which strains of AIV, given the right conditions, would be more likely transmitted to and maintained in a given species or subsequently cause an AI outbreak in the given species. The intranasal (IN) mean bird infectious doses (BID50) were determined for 11 high-pathogenicity AIV (HPAIV) isolates of turkey and chicken origin for white leghorn (WL) chickens, and for low-pathogenicity AIV (LPAIV) isolates of chicken (n = 1) and wild mallards (n = 2) for turkeys, and WL and white Plymouth rock (WPR) chickens, domestic ducks and geese, and Japanese quail. The BID50 for HPAIV isolates for WL chickens ranged from 10(1.2) to 10(4.7) mean embryo infectious dose (EID50) (median = 10(2.9)). For chicken-origin HPAIV isolates, the BID50 in WL chickens ranged from 10(1.2) to 10(3.0) EID50 (median = 10(2.6)), whereas for HPAIV isolates of turkey origin, the BID50 in WL chickens was higher, ranging from 10(2.8) to 10(4.7) EID50 (median = 10(3.9)). The BID50 of 10(4.7) was for a turkey-origin HPAIV virus that was not transmitted to chickens on the same farm, suggesting that, under the specific conditions present on that farm, there was insufficient infectivity, adaptation, or exposure to that virus population for sustained chicken transmission. Although the upper BID50 limit for predicting infectivity and sustainable transmissibility for a specific species is unknown, a BID50 < 10(4.7) was suggestive of such transmissibility. For the LPAIVs, there was a trend for domestic ducks and geese and Japanese quail to have the greatest susceptible and for WL chickens to be the most resistant, but turkeys were susceptible to two LPAIV tested when used at moderate challenge doses. This suggests domestic ducks and geese, turkeys, and Japanese quail could serve as bridging species for LPAIVs from wild waterfowl to chickens and other gallinaceous poultry. These data do provide support for the commonly held and intuitive belief that mixing of poultry species during rearing and in outdoor production systems is a major risk factor for interspecies transmission of AIVs and for the emergence of new AIV strains capable of causing AI outbreaks because these situations present a more diverse host population to circumvent the natural host dependency or host range of circulating viruses.     

The pathogenicity of three Australian fowl plague viruses for chickens,turkeys and ducks

The pathogenicity of three Australian fowl plague viruses, FPV-1, FPV-2, FPV-3, isolated during a natural outbreak of the disease varied for chickens, turkeys and ducks. FPV-1 and FPV-2 were pathogenic for chickens and turkeys, but not for ducks. However, these viruses were not highly pathogenic as they failed to cause illness or death in all birds that became infected. FPV-3 was non-pathogenic for the three species tested.The viruses spread from infected to in-contact birds, and more readily to ducks than to chickens or turkeys. All chickens and turkeys infected with the fowl plague viruses developed specific serum haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody which persisted for up to 85 days after infection. The titre of this antibody wan ed in six of 16 ducks over an 85-day period and two ducks failed to produce detectable specific HaI antibody despite being infected with the virus.     

Transmission and immunopathology of the avian influenza virus A/Anhui/1/2013 (H7N9) human isolate in three commonly commercialized avian species

H7N9 virus infection is a global concern, given that it can cause severe infection and mortality in humans. However, the understanding of H7N9 epidemiology, animal reservoir species and zoonotic risk remains limited. This work evaluates the pathogenicity, transmissibility and local innate immune response of three avian species harbouring different respiratory distribution of α2,6 and α2,3 SA receptors. Muscovy ducks, European quails and SPF chickens were intranasally inoculated with 10⁵ embryo infectious dose (EID)₅₀ of the human H7N9 (A/Anhui/1/2013) influenza isolate. None of the avian species showed clinical signs or macroscopic lesions, and only mild microscopic lesions were observed in the upper respiratory tract of quail and chickens. Quail presented more severe histopathologic lesions and avian influenza virus (AIV) positivity by immunohistochemistry (IHC), which correlated with higher IL‐6 responses. In contrast, Muscovy ducks were resistant to disease and presented higher IFNα and TLR7 response. In all species, viral shedding was higher in the respiratory than in the digestive tract. Higher viral shedding was observed in quail, followed by chicken and ducks, which presented similar viral titres. Efficient transmission was observed in all contact quail and half of the Muscovy ducks, while no transmission was observed between chicken. All avian species showed viral shedding in drinking water throughout infection.     

Genetic characterization and susceptibility on poultry and mammal of H7N6 subtype avian influenza virus isolated in Japan in 2009

From February to March 2009, six strains of H7N6 subtype avian influenza virus were isolated from quails in three farms in Aichi prefecture in Japan. The isolates were shown to be low pathogenic for chicken by the examination performed using the "Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines" by World organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The deduced amino acid sequence at the cleavage site was PE (I/Q/L) PKRR (nucleotide sequences were cct gaa (a/c) (t/a) a cc (a/g) aaa aga aga), suggesting persistence in domestic poultry for some time. The direct putative ancestor strain could not be elucidated by phylogenetic analysis of all genome segments of the quail isolates. Diverged date from a putative common ancestor in a non-rooted phylogenetic tree among quail viruses was estimated between March 2002 and July 2004. Three putative N-linked glycosylation sites resided in the vicinity of the receptor binding pocket of HA1 region. They are considered to decrease the reactivity of neutralizing antibody against the virus. Experiments for the infectivity and pathogenicity of a quail strain to poultry indicated that the quail isolate had higher infectivity to quails than chickens and ducks. Direct and dust-borne and/or droplet-borne transmissions among quail were proven in quails with and without direct contact with experimentally infected quails. The virus is seldom transmitted among chickens either directly or indirectly, and indirect transmission from infected quails to chickens was not observed. The pathogenicity of the quail strain for mammalian, pig and mouse was low, although it could replicate in those animals.     

Experimental infections in domestic ducks with Cryptosporidium baileyi isolated from chickens

Oral inoculation of 13 ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) with 1 x 10(6) Cryptosporidium baileyi oocysts produced patent infections but no clinical signs of disease. Intratracheal inoculation of 13 ducks with 1 x 10(6) C. baileyi oocysts produced only mild clinical signs of respiratory disease, no deaths, and gross lesions of airsacculitis in only three ducks. The distribution of developmental stages of C. baileyi in ducks was similar to that observed in experimentally infected chickens and turkeys. Results of this study indicate that ducks are more resistant to experimentally induced respiratory cryptosporidiosis caused by C. baileyi than are chickens and turkeys.     

Comparative effects of fumonisins on sphingolipid metabolism and toxicity in ducks and turkeys

Fumonisins (FBs) are mycotoxins that are found worldwide in maize and maize products. Their main toxic effects have been well characterized in poultry, but differences between species have been demonstrated. Ducks appeared very sensitive to toxicity, whereas turkeys are more resistant. At the same time, alterations of sphingolipid metabolism, with an increase of the concentration of the free sphinganine (Sa) in serum and liver, have been demonstrated in the two species, but the link between the toxicity of FBs and Sa accumulation remains difficult to interpret. The aim of the present work was to compare the effects of FBs (10 mg FB1 + FB2/kg body weight) on sphingolipid metabolism in ducks and turkeys. Growth, feed consumption, and serum biochemistry were also investigated to evaluate toxicity. The main results showed that FBs increased Sa concentrations in liver and serum in ducks and turkeys, but these accumulations were not directly correlated with toxicity. Sa accumulation was higher in the livers of turkeys than in ducks, whereas Sa levels were higher in the sera of ducks than in turkeys. Hepatic toxicity was more pronounced in ducks than in turkeys and accompanied a decrease of body weight and an increase of serum biochemistry in ducks but not in turkeys. So, although FBs increase Sa concentration in the livers of both species, this effect is not directly proportional to toxicity. The mechanisms of FB toxicity and/or the mechanisms of protection of ducks and turkeys to the Sa accumulation within the liver remain to be established.     

The pathogenicity of an avian influenza virus isolated in Victoria

An influenza virus (H7N7) isolated from an outbreak of disease in chickens in Victoria, was examined for its ability to cause disease in inoculated chickens, turkeys and ducks. The virus was highly pathogenic in chickens and turkeys but produced no clinical disease in ducks. Transmission of infection occurred from inoculated chickens to those in direct contact but other chickens separated by a distance of 3m directly downwind developed neither clinical disease nor antibody to the virus.     

Diseases of quail

An increasing number and variety of quail are being kept for food production, experimental use, release on hunting preserves, preservation of endangered species, zoological display, and as companion birds. Quail are susceptible to a variety of noninfectious, infectious, and parasitic diseases. Because they are related to chickens and turkeys, many of the diseases in quail are similar to those in poultry. In this article, the diagnostic characteristics of diseases affecting quail are presented along with information on their prevention, control, and treatment.     

An Alcaligenes faecalis isolate from turkeys: pathogenicity in selected avian and mammalian species

An Alcaligenes faecalis isolate of known pathogenicity for turkeys was examined for adherence and cytotoxicity in tracheal organ cultures of turkeys, chickens, Japanese quail, guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice, and for colonization and pathogenicity in these 6 species. Adherence and colonization were detected by fluorescent antibody staining. Infected and noninfected tracheal rings were examined by phase-contrast microscopy for cytotoxicity (ciliostasis, blebing of the cell membrane, and sloughing of the ciliated epithelium). Alcaligenes faecalis adhered to the tracheal rings of all species examined. Cytotoxicity was apparent in the tracheal rings of turkeys, quail, and chickens. Cytotoxicity was not detected in tracheal rings from the mammalian species. Alcaligenes faecalis colonization of turbinates and tracheas of intact turkeys and quail was detected. Clinical signs of alcaligenes rhinotracheitis were observed and histopathologic characteristics of the disease were detected. Chickens, guinea pigs, hamsters, and mice were refractory to infection with this isolate of A faecalis.     

Plasma pharmacokinetics of midazolam in chickens, turkeys, pheasants and bobwhite quail

In vivo plasma pharmacokinetics of midazolam hydrochloride (5 mg/kg i.v.) were determined in commercially raised broiler chickens, turkeys, ring-necked pheasants and bobwhite quail. Pharmacokinetic profiles of midazolam were similar for all four species, especially with regard to the area under the plasma drug concentration-time curve. Estimates of the half-life of elimination of midazolam were 0.42, 1.45, 1.90, and 9.71 h for turkeys, chickens, bobwhite quail, and pheasant, respectively. This was similar to the major metabolite (1-hydroxymidazolam). Elimination half-lives for 1-hydroxymidazolam were 1.35, 1.86, 1.97, and 13.97 h for turkey, chicken, bobwhite quail and pheasant, respectively. Elimination half-lives for 4-hydroxymidazolam were 0.76, 1.23, 2.85, and 13.82 h for chicken, turkey, pheasant, and bobwhite quail, respectively. In addition to traditional pharmacokinetic approaches to parameter estimation, a bootstrapping technique was employed to attempt to achieve more realistic approximations of the concentrations at later time-points.     

Comparative susceptibility of chickens, turkeys and ducks to infectious bursal disease virus using immunohistochemistry

Twenty chicks, 12 turkey poults and 10 ducklings, all 5 weeks old were infected with 2 × 10^3.5 chick LD₅₀ IBD virus to determine the course of the virus in the 3 poultry species. Uninfected control birds were kept separately. Two infected and 2 control birds/species were euthanized at time intervals between 3 and 168 hours post infection (pi). Sections of thymus, bursa of Fabricius, spleen, liver, kidney, proventriculus and ceacal tonsil were stained for the detection of IBD virus antigen using immunoperoxidase technique. IBD virus antigen positive cells stained reddish-brown and the amount of such cells in tissue sections were noted and scored. Stained cells were present in all organs examined for up to 168 hours pi in the 3 poultry species except ceacal tonsils of ducks at 72 and 120 hours pi. Antigen score was highest in chickens and least in ducks as reflected by average of total scores/sampling time of 12, 10.8 and 8 in chickens, turkeys and ducks respectively. Total antigen score/sampling time in infected chickens peaked twice; 24/48 and 144 hours pi, whereas such bi-phasic peaks were absent in turkeys and ducks. Range of total antigen score at different sampling times was 7–17.5 in chickens, 10–13 in turkeys and 7–10 in ducks indicative of marked viral replication in chickens. Presence of IBD viral antigen in organs of all 3 poultry species is indicative of infections. The innate ability of turkeys and ducks to prevent appreciable replication of IBD virus after infection requires further investigation.     

The susceptibility of young chickens, ducks, and turkeys to the photosensitizing effect of Ammi visnaga seeds.

Young chickens, ducks, and turkeys were exposed to sunlight and fed various amounts of Ammi visnaga seeds for 14 days in an attempt to induce photosensitization. In chickens, seeds at 1.25% in the diet had no effect whereas 3% induced mild signs of photosensitization within 6 to 8 days. No visible effects resulted in ducklings from 1.5, 3 and 6% in the diet, or in turkey poults from 3%. These differences appear to be due to differences between these avian species in the metabolism of the photodynamic agent.     

SEROLOGICAL RESPONSE OF CHICKENS, TURKEYS AND DUCKS TO STRAIN V4 OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS

SUMMARY The serological response of two different age groups of turkeys and ducks to strain V4 of Newcastle disease virus was markedly inferior to that of similar age groups of chickens. This suggested that this strain might not be a suitable vaccine strain for use in turkeys and ducks, even though the correlation between specific serum antibody and immunity in these species is not clearly understood. The 20-week-old group of chickens required two doses of 10^7–1 50 per cent embryo infective doses (EID₅₀) of the virus to develop a specific serum antibody titre comparable to 21-day-old chickens given one dose of 10^7–1 EID₅₀ of virus.     

Comparative toxicity of coniine, an alkaloid of Conium maculatum (poison hemlock), in chickens, quails, and turkeys

Coniine, an alkaloid of Conium maculatum (poison hemlock), was administered by gavage to immature chickens, quails, and turkeys at 0, 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg body weight. At 25 mg coniine/kg body weight, clinical signs were observed only in quails (2/10) and consisted of excitement, depression, hypermetria, seizures, opisthotonos, and flaccid paralysis. Chickens (9/10) and quails (8/10) dosed at 50 mg/kg body weight were affected, and several birds of each species died (2/10 and 5/10, respectively). Turkeys (7/10) were affected only when dosed at 100 mg/kg body weight, and quails (6/10), turkeys (4/10), and chickens (10/10) died at this dose. There were no gross or microscopic lesions. Coniine was detected in skeletal muscle and liver of birds dying after ingestion and was present in some survivors 7 days post-treatment.     

H5亚型禽流感疫苗对特禽及水禽的免疫效果观察

用H5N2亚型禽流感疫苗,分别免疫SPF鸡、乌鸡、珍珠鸡、贵妃鸡、火鸡、鸭及鹅,免疫后采血测定其HI抗体,观察我国现有的H5N2亚型禽流感疫苗对特禽及水禽的免疫效力.结果,免疫后3周,SPF鸡、乌鸡、珍珠鸡、贵妃鸡、火鸡、鸭及鹅的平均HI抗体滴度分别为2 7.2、2 7.6、2 4.3、2 4.83、2 4.6、2 6.2及2 5.3,乌鸡两次免疫,其中一次HI抗体为2 9.65.试验证明,SPF鸡、特禽及水禽用H5N2亚型禽流感疫苗免疫后,均能产生一定水平的HI抗体,但不同种类的家禽所产生的HI抗体滴度存在较大差异,以SPF鸡及乌鸡所产生的HI抗体滴度最高,而珍珠鸡、贵妃鸡及火鸡所产生的HI抗体滴度较低,水禽对H5N2亚型禽流感疫苗可产生一定水平的HI抗体.