Biochemical changes in chicken serum during infection with strains of Newcastle disease virus of differing virulence. I. Enzyme study.
Chickens aged 5-6 weeks were inoculated with 3 strains of Newcastle disease virus of differing pathogenicity. The levels of the enzymes lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), cholinesterase (ChE), alkaline and acid phosphatase (ALP and AcP), glutamate-oxaloacetate and glutamate-pyruvate transaminases (GOT and GPT) in serum were measured. Significant decreases in the levels of ChE and ALP were found in chickens infected with high doses of a velogenic strain of virus. The levels of LDH, ICDH and GOT were elevated in these chickens, but the levels of AcP and GPT were unchanged. ALP levels were slightly decreased and LDH levels were slightly elevated in chickens that were inoculated with a mesogenic strain. No significant changes in enzyme levels were found in chickens infected with lentogenic virus. Changes in enzyme levels were found to be correlated with the clinical findings in the infected chicks.
Rivetz
B
B
Kimron Veterinary Institute, Tel Aviv University Medical School, Bet Dagan, Israel.
Bogin
E
E
Hornstein
K
K
Merdinger
M
M