Cardiac lesions in broilers which died without clinical signs.
Fifty-four broiler chickens that suddenly died without clinical signs or gross lesions were examined histopathologically. Histologically arteriolosclerotic changes with mainly a proliferation of intimal smooth muscle cells of the small coronary arteries (52 cases, 96.2%) and myocardial necrosis or myocardial scarring (40 cases, 74.1%), were recognized. Both changes were found mostly in the deep or intermediate layer of myocardium of the left ventricle. Topographical analysis revealed in 26 cases an accompanying myocardial necrosis in a closely related area. The cause of myocardial necrosis in the remaining eight cases was not determined except in six broiler chickens with a coronary obliterating arteritis.
Kawada
M
M
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan.
Hirosawa
R
R
Yanai
T
T
Masegi
T
T
Ueda
K
K