In total, 39 clinical cases of fowl adenoviruses (FAdV) infection in chickens (28 broiler, seven native and four layer chickens) between 2007 and 2010 in Korea were investigated and reported by K.S. Choi of the Animal, Plant and Fisheries Quarantine and Inspection Agency in Anyang in the Republic of Korea and co-authors there and at Bayer Korea and Kangwon National University.

In their paper in Poultry Science, they explain that FAdV types 4, 8b, and 11 comprised 18, 9, and 12 clinical cases, respectively.

All FAdV type 4 cases showed clinical hydropericardium (HPS) lesions as well as inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), whereas all FAdV types 8b and 11 cases exhibited IBH lesions without HPS.

All three types were detected in broiler (nine to 30 days old) and layer chickens (23 to 112 days of age), whereas most native chickens (14 to 65 days old) were affected only by FAdV type 4.

Infectious bursal disease virus and chicken infectious anaemia virus were complications in 51.3 per cent of FAdV cases, with mortalities varying from less than 0.1 per cent to 55 per cent. Chicken infectious anaemia virus was detected in all native chicken cases.

These results indicate that preventive measures against FAdV infection and immunosuppressive diseases on poultry farms should be implemented, concluded Choi and co-authors.

Reference

Choi K.S., S.J. Kye, J.Y. Kim, W.J. Jeon, E.K. Lee, K.Y. Park and H.W. Sung. 2012. Epidemiological investigation of outbreaks of fowl adenovirus infection in commercial chickens in Korea. Poult. Sci. 91(10):2502-2506. doi: 10.3382/ps.2012-02296

Further Reading You can view the full paper (fee payable) by clicking here. Find out more information on the diseases mentioned in this article by clicking here.