THE PATHOGENESIS OF INFECTIOUS AVIAN ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

The age of the chicken at the time of infection with infectious avian encephalomyelitis virus (IAEV) and the route of the administration of the virus had a marked effect on the development of the clinical disease. Chickens given the virus by intramuscular, intraperitoneal and oral routes exhibited a decreased susceptibility to development of clinical disease with increasing age. Irrespective of age, chickens were consistently susceptible to intracerebral inoculation of IAEV. Chickens infected with the virus at 1-, 7- and 14-days of age developed lower neutralising antibody titres to IAEV than chickens infected at 21 and 28 days. A relationship between the ability to produce specific neutralising antibody to IAEV and susceptibility to the development of clinical disease is discussed.