Identification of specific serotypes of fowl adenoviruses isolated from diseased chickens by PCR

Abstract

We have developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to facilitate detection of the major disease-associated serotypes of fowl adenovirus (FAdV) including serotypes 1, 2, 4, 8a and 8b; primers were designed based on serotype-specific sequences of the hexon gene. We tested field isolates from chickens diagnosed with inclusion body hepatitis, gizzard erosion and hydropericardium syndrome together with reference FAdV strains characterized in Japan. We found that the primers were serotype specific; appropriate amplification of serotype-specific hexon genes was confirmed by sequence analysis of the PCR products. This PCR assay will be useful for detection of FAdV and for differentiation between disease-associated serotypes.

Attenuation and molecular characterization of fowl adenovirus 8b propagated in a bioreactor and its immunogenicity, efficacy, and virus shedding in broiler chickens

“…Fowl adenovirus (FAdV) serotype 8b belongs to Group E of the genus aviadenovirus in the family Adenoviridae [1,2] and is an etiologic agent of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in broiler chickens that are 3-7 weeks of age and cause mortality of 2%-30% [3][4][5]. IBH pathogenesis may involve sudden death with no obvious clinical signs [6].…”