Involvement of a Type-8 Avian Adenovirus in the Etiology of Inclusion Body Hepatitis

Abstract

Type-8 avian adenoviruses were isolated from chickens in a commerical flock suffering an outbreak of inclusion body hepatitis. Serum-neutralizing titer to this type, but not to 7 other types of avian adenovirus, was more than 4 times as high in convalescing chickens as in chickens from the flock bled 2 weeks previously, during the disease outbreak. A disease similar to that in the commercial flock and to inclusion body hepatitis as described in the literature was produced by intra-abdominal inoculation of a type-8 isolant, AMG 5 (2a), into 1-day-old specific-pathogen-free chicks. Pathologic features of the disease included necrotizing hepatitis, pancreatitis, and severe lymphoid depletion of the bursa of Fabricius, thymus, and spleen. It was concluded that type-8 avian adenoviruses were involved in the etiology of the naturally occurring outbreak of inclusion body hepatitis.

Identification and characterization of an avian adenovirus isolated from a ‘spiking mortality syndrome’ field outbreak in broilers on the Delmarva Peninsula, USA

“…Bursa and thymus lesions such as lymphocyte depletion and overall atrophy have been found in field outbreaks of IBH and SMS (Hoffmann et al, 1975;Grimes et al, 1977;Brown et al, 1991;Lamichhane et al, 1991). Grimes et al (1977) produced a strong lymphocyte depletion in the bursa and thymus of chickens after intraperitoneal inoculation with an FAV8 strain. However, disease manifestation in these organs have also been attributed to coinfections with IBDV or CAA (Cheville 1967;Bülow et al, 1986;Goryo et al, 1989), leaving the pathogenic effect of FAV on bursa and thymus still unclear.…”

“…Other workers have not been able to produce an IBH with FAV viruses by natural routes of infection (Kawamura & Tsubahara, 1963;McDougall & Peters, 1974;McCracken et al, 1976). IBH experimentally induced by Rosenberger et al (1974) using an FAV5 strain and by Grimes et al (1977) using an FAV8 strain was achieved by non-natural routes of infection (intraperitoneal, intramuscular). Bursa and thymus lesions such as lymphocyte depletion and overall atrophy have been found in field outbreaks of IBH and SMS (Hoffmann et al, 1975;Grimes et al, 1977;Brown et al, 1991;Lamichhane et al, 1991).…”

“…IBH experimentally induced by Rosenberger et al (1974) using an FAV5 strain and by Grimes et al (1977) using an FAV8 strain was achieved by non-natural routes of infection (intraperitoneal, intramuscular). Bursa and thymus lesions such as lymphocyte depletion and overall atrophy have been found in field outbreaks of IBH and SMS (Hoffmann et al, 1975;Grimes et al, 1977;Brown et al, 1991;Lamichhane et al, 1991). Grimes et al (1977) produced a strong lymphocyte depletion in the bursa and thymus of chickens after intraperitoneal inoculation with an FAV8 strain.…”

Pathogenicity of Serotype 8 Fowl Adenovirus Isolated from Gizzard Erosions of Slaughtered Broiler Chickens

“…Sci. 66(12): 1561-1566, 2004 The pathogenicity of serotype 8 fowl adenoviruis (FAV) has been reported in field cases of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in chickens [7] as well as in experimental reproduction of IBH in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens [6]. Recently, serotype 8 FAV was isolated from gizzards exhibiting gizzard erosion in slaughterhouses [14].…”

Anaemia‐dermatitis of broilers: Field observations on its occurrence, transmission and prevention

“…Dorn et al (1981) described the main features of the syndrome. These features, hepatitis, anaemia and aplasia of the bone marrow, have previously been described as characteristic of 'inclusion body hepatitis-aplastic anaemia' caused by adenovirus infections (Fadly and Winterfield, 1973;Grimes et al, 1977), though experiments with adenovirus alone have produced only hepatitis. Rosenberger et al (1975) described an haemorrhagic aplastic anaemia syndrome caused by adenovirus in birds immunologically suppressed following infectious bursal disease.…”