title: Occurrence of reticuloendotheliosis in Chinese partridge.
abstract: Two commercial flocks of Chinese partridge experienced increased mortality associated with a wasting disease at 120-day old in June 2006. Postmortem examination of dead chickens consistently showed visceral tissues mainly proventriculus, liver and spleen were diffuse enlargement. Microscopic examination revealed masses of immature lymphocytes with frequent mitotic figures were seen in various tissues including proventriculus, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, lung, thymus and intestine. Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) was isolated from each of four blood samples. Viral antigens were observed in cultured CEF (SPF embryos came from the Ji-nan poultry institute) inoculated blood samples via on indirect immunofluorescent assay. Three hundred bp fragments of LTR of REV obtained from liver samples of six chickens by PCR. This disease has not previously been reported in Chinese partridge. Chinese partridge may represent a potential reservoir of infection for other Chinese local chickens.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, College of Animal Husbandry and Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China. chziqiang@sohu.com
authors.forename: Ziqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Youfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiuguo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.forename: Zhizhong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D046094:Galliformes; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes; D010053:Ovary / Q000473:pathology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D017986:Reticuloendotheliosis Viruses, Avian / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055761:Reticuloendotheliosis, Avian / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology