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Abundance of ChIFN-alpha and ChIFN-gamma mRNA in blood of broiler chickens during an outbreak of chicken infectious anaemia.

Viral immune suppression is a serious problem in production of commercial broiler chickens. Subclinical infections of chicken anaemia virus (CAV) and infectious bursal disease virus interfere with transcription of chicken interferon (ChIFN) mRNA. We have developed a competitive nucleic acid hybridisation assay to measure abundance of ChIFN mRNA in total RNA extracts of blood. An outbreak caused by CAV occurred in Croatia early in 2001. The source of infection was traced to Ross birds from a broiler breeder farm. Clinical signs and pathologic lesions appeared at two weeks of age and were typical of CAV. Affected chickens were anaemic with haematocrits less than 0.27. Antibody levels for CAV peaked at 3 weeks of age. Blood samples from clinically affected and not affected chickens were positive for CAV by PCR and a competitive nucleic acid hybridisation assay. Abundance of mRNA for ChIFN- and ChIFN- in blood, measured at weekly intervals, was significantly less (p≤0.05) than abundance in 3 clinically healthy flocks. Abundance of mRNA for ChIFN in chicken blood can be used to assess immune status of commercial chickens. Supported by US Poultry & Egg Assoc. and EUREKA project No. 2692.

ChIFN-alpha; ChIFN-gamma; CAV

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