title: Persistence and vertical transmission of chicken anaemia agent in experimentally infected laying hens.
abstract: Irrespective of route of infection and age of hens at infection chicken anaemia agent (CAA) was excreted via faeces repeatedly during the first 5 weeks postinfection. Eggs, embryos and chicks of hens infected as chicks were free of CAA, but CAA was found in a small number of embryos and hatched chicks of hens infected during the laying period. Re-infection of hens resulted in shedding of CAA via the faeces for a period of 4 days, but no CAA was found in eggs, embryos and chicks. Immunofluorescent and serum neutralization antibody against CAA were demonstrated 2 weeks post-infection. They persisted for at least 6 months. Reinfection with CAA led to a significant increase of both immunofluorescent and serum neutralization antibody titres.
authors.affiliation: Houghton Laboratory, AFRC Institute for Animal Health, Huntingdon, Cambs, England.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Hoop