Extracted From: A Pocket Guide to Poultry Health and Disease By Paul McMullin © 2004 Click Here to Order Your Copy

Introduction

An adenovirus infection of chickens with a morbidity of 1-10% and a mortality of 1-10%; at least 12 sero-types have been described and these may be isolated from healthy chickens. Infected birds may remain carriers for a few weeks. Transmission may be vertical and lateral, and by fomites. The virus is generally resistant to disinfectants (ether, chloroform, pH), temperature, formaldehyde and iodides work better. Opinions vary as to whether adenovirus can be characterised as a primary respiratory pathogen. It may occur as an exacerbating factor in other types of respiratory disease.

Signs

• Mild snick and cough without mortality.

Post-mortem lesions

• Mild catarrhal tracheitis.

Diagnosis

History, lesions, intranuclear inclusions in liver. The virus grows well in tissue culture (CE kidney, CE liver).

Treatment

None.

Prevention

Quarantine and good sanitary precautions, prevention of immunosuppression.