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Testing and Management of a Specific Pathogen free Chicken Flock with Special Reference to Avian Leukosis Virus Infections

Testning och skötsel au en hönsflock fri från specifika patogener med särskilt beaktande av infektioner förorsakade av hönsleukosvirus

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 16, pages 341–356 (1975)Cite this article

Abstract

A specific pathogen free (SPF) chicken flock was reared in isolation under laboratory conditions during five years and continuously tested for presence of specified avian pathogens. The potential occurrence of avian leukosis virus (ALV) was most thoroughly examined. The RIF and neutralization tests were unequivocally negative. Radioimmunoassay was used for detecting the presence of the major protein (gs-a) of the group-specific antigen of avian onoorna viruses. This test seemed to he well suited for checking ALV infections in chicken flocks whereas the COFAL (complement fixation avian leukosis) test was considered unreliable for this purpose. Yolk and serum from SPF chickens were negative for anti-gs-a antibodies measured by the radioimmunoassay; immunized or naturally infected birds showed anti-gs-a amounts correlating with the neutralizing titre. Besides, the flock was regularly tested for presence of seven other contagious avian pathogens. There was no evidence of infection.

SPF chicken flock; avian leukosis; laboratory diagnosis of avian leukosis virus infections.

Sammendrag

En specifikt patogenfri (SPF) hönsflock hölls isolerad i laboratorieförhållanden under fem år och testades fortlöpande för förekomst av specifika hönspatogener. Eventuell förekomst av hönsleukosvirus (ALV) undersöktes i detalj. RIF- och neutralisationstesterna var entydigt negativa. För att påvisa förekomsten av det största proteinet (gs-a) i det grupp-specifika antigenet för höns-oncornavirus användes radioimmunitetsbestämning (RIA). Detta test visade sig lämpligt för kontroll av ALV-infektioner hos hönsflockar, då däremot COFAL-(complement fixation avian leukosis) reaktionen mäste anses vara opålitlig för detta ändamäl. Gulor och serum från SPF-höns reagerade negativt i RIA för anti-gs-a-antikroppar, medan immuniserade eller på fältet infekterade höns uppvisade kvantiteter i proportion till neutralisationstitern.

Hönsflocken undersöktes dessutom regelbundet för förekomst av sju andra smittosamma hönspatogener. Inga tecken på infektion förefanns.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, and the State Veterinary Medical Institute, Helsinki 29, SF-00 290, Helsinki, Finland

    K. Sandelin & T. Estola

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  1. K. Sandelin
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  2. T. Estola
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This work was supported by grants from the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation and the Finnish Medical Research Council.

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Sandelin, K., Estola, T. Testing and Management of a Specific Pathogen free Chicken Flock with Special Reference to Avian Leukosis Virus Infections. Acta Vet Scand 16, 341–356 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03546652

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147