Research Note: Molecular and pathologic characterization of avian adenovirus isolated from the oviducts of laying hens in eastern Japan.

Cases of poor egg production were investigated in 2 layer farms from Ibaraki Prefecture in eastern Japan. To identify any microbial agents that may have caused the problem, necropsy, bacterial isolation, histopathology, and virus detection were performed. Members of the avian adenoviruses was detected by PCR in oviduct samples from both farms; chicken anemia virus coinfection was also confirmed in one of the farms.

The Expanded Role of Roof-Rats () in spp. Contamination of a Commercial Layer Farm in East Japan.

Rodents serve as amplifiers of infections in poultry flocks and can serve as a source of contamination in the environment even after thorough cleaning and disinfection. This study aims to determine the dynamics of occurrence in rodents and its relation to contamination in the layer farm environment, including air dusts and eggs. From 2008 to 2017, roof rats (), environmental swabs, air dusts, and eggs were collected from an intensive commercial layer farm in East Japan and were tested for spp.

Atypical velogenic Newcastle disease in a commercial layer flock in Japan.

In 2002, a commercial layer flock in Japan was initially diagnosed as being infected with infectious bronchitis (IB) based on clinical signs, virus isolation, and serological analysis but was later found to be atypically infected with velogenic Newcastle disease virus (NDV) following molecular diagnosis. The flock had slightly decreased egg production and an increased occurrence of soft-shelled eggs without significant mortality. IB-like viruses were isolated, which caused dwarfing and curling in 12-day-old chicken embryos.

Antibody response and protective immunity of chickens vaccinated with booster dose of recombinant oil-adjuvanted Leucocytozoon caulleryi subunit vaccine.

Leucocytozoon caulleryi is an economically important poultry pathogen that causes subclinical to fatal disease in chickens. Because of limited preventive and treatment options against this disease, an oil-adjuvanted recombinant vaccine (O-rR7) targeting the R7 protein of L. caulleryi second-generation schizonts was developed.

Characterization of complete genome sequence of genotype VI and VII velogenic Newcastle disease virus from Japan.

The complete genome sequences of three strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from vaccinated commercial layer flocks in Japan in the span of three decades were characterized. All strains had genome lengths of 15,192 nucleotides consisting of six genes in the order of 3'-NP-P/V/W-M-F-HN-L-5'. The general genomic characteristics of the Japanese field strains were consistent with previously characterized class II NDV, except for those belonging to early genotypes (genotype I-IV), which lack the six nucleotide insertion at nucleotide positions 1,648-1,653 of the nucleoprotein (NP) gene.

Surveillance of avian paramyxovirus in migratory waterfowls in the San-in region of western Japan from 2006 to 2012.

Relatively little is known about the distribution of avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs) among wild birds in Japan. Surveillance of APMV in migratory waterfowl was conducted in the San-in region of western Japan during winters of 2006 to 2012. A total of 16 avian paramyxoviruses consisting of 3 lentogenic Newcastle disease viruses (NDVs), 12 APMV-4 and 1 APMV-8 were isolated from 1,967 wild-bird fecal samples.

Molecular epidemiology of Newcastle disease virus isolates from vaccinated commercial poultry farms in non-epidemic areas of Japan.

Background: Newcastle Disease (ND) is a highly contagious and economically devastating disease of poultry. At present, limited molecular epidemiological data are available regarding the causes of ND outbreaks in vaccinated commercial poultry farms. Knowing the genomic characteristics of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infecting commercial poultry operations in spite of vaccination might give important insights on the infection dynamics of these viruses.

Epizootiologic role of feeds in the epidemiology of Salmonella Senftenberg contamination in commercial layer farms in eastern Japan.

In total, 40 commercial layer farms and 32 replacement pullet farms with a combined population of 7.5 million adult layers and 6.6 million replacement pullets from six prefectures in eastern Japan were investigated for Salmonella Senftenberg contamination.

Transmission and shedding patterns of Salmonella in naturally infected captive wild roof rats (Rattus rattus) from a Salmonella-contaminated layer farm.

Rodents play a major role in the transmission and maintenance of Salmonella contamination cycles in poultry facilities. However, very limited field data are available regarding the transmission routes, infection cycle, and shedding patterns of Salmonella by naturally infected wild rodents from commercial layer farms. In this study, a total of 128 resident wild roof rats (Rattus ratus) were captured from a Salmonella-contaminated layer facility.

Comparison of the prevalence of Salmonella infection in layer hens from commercial layer farms with high and low rodent densities.

A comparison on the prevalence of Salmonella infection in layer hens from commercial layer farms with high and low rodent densities was investigated. Out of 280 laying hens sampled from three commercial layer farms with high rodent densities, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (Salmonella Enteritidis) was isolated from 20 (7.