Quantitative PCR as a tool to determine the reticuloendotheliosis virus-proviral load of fowl poxvirus.

Sequences of the reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV), an avian retrovirus, are integrated into the genome of fowl poxvirus (FPV). We developed and evaluated a quantitative multiplex real-time PCR (multiplex qPCR) assay to determine the REV-proviral load of FPV strains. Amplification efficiencies were 98.

Serologic response against fowl poxvirus and reticuloendotheliosis virus after experimental and natural infections of chickens with fowl poxvirus.

Two infection studies in chickens were done to investigate the humoral immune response against fowl poxvirus (FPV) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) after intradermal infection with different passages of a field isolate and with the vaccine strain HP B. The field isolate in a low passage carried the near-full-length REV provirus and induced antibodies to REV, but not to FPV. The vaccine strain carried only remnants of the long terminal repeat and induced antibodies against FPV, but not against REV.

Some strains of serotype 4 fowl adenoviruses cause inclusion body hepatitis and hydropericardium syndrome in chickens.

Fowl adenoviruses were isolated and characterized from severe cases of hydropericardium syndrome in Ecuador and Pakistan. All were neutralized by antibodies against serotypes 4 and 11. Cross-neutralization tests and restriction enzyme analysis strengthen the classification as serotype 4 strains.

Growth analysis of adenoviruses isolated from pigeons in chicken cells and serological characterization of the isolates.

The susceptibility of chicken embryo liver (CEL) and chicken kidney (CK) cells to eight adenoviruses isolated from different pigeons were investigated. Isolation and propagation was most successful in CEL cells. The cytopathic effect, i.

Protection and virus shedding of falcons vaccinated against highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (H5N1).

Because fatal infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1 have been reported in birds of prey, we sought to determine detailed information about the birds' susceptibility and protection after vaccination. Ten falcons vaccinated with an inactivated influenza virus (H5N2) vaccine seroconverted. We then challenged 5 vaccinated and 5 nonvaccinated falcons with HPAI (H5N1).