The feather tips of commercial chickens are a favorable source of DNA for the amplification of Marek's disease virus and avian leukosis virus, subgroup J.
Marek's disease virus (MDV), a herpesvirus, and avian leukosis virus, subgroup J (ALV-J), a retrovirus, are oncogenic viruses of poultry. The present report describes a case-report study aimed at examining the efficacy of amplifying MDV and/or ALV-J from feather-tip DNA as compared with DNA purified from liver and spleen. We show that the polymerase chain reaction for MDV and ALV-J env using DNA from feather tips was more effective for diagnosis of naturally infected commercial chickens than using the liver and spleen.
Davidson
Irit
I
Division of Avian and Fish Diseases, Kimron Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 12, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel. iritd_vs@netvision.net.il
Borenshtain
Rinat
R
D000818:Animals; D001353:Avian Leukosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001354:Avian Leukosis Virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005241:Feathers / Q000821:virology*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D008381:Herpesvirus 2, Gallid / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008099:Liver / Q000821:virology; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D013154:Spleen / Q000821:virology
D004279:DNA, Viral