Studies on Avian Reovirus Infection In Chickens

. A viral agen c (de sd gnat ed M1) was isolcted from the liver of 8-week-old broiler birds snffering from gene r-e I symp t cma of depression, ruffling, und disinclin2tion to move. Thebiologicc::l and phy ai.c ochemi.c c.L properties of the LsoLete suggested its tentative grouping asen 2.vis.n reovirus.2- Serologicc.l studies by cross eg2.r gel precipitin r.nd neut-rElizEtion tests r-ev er.Le d the serologic :,:,eJ_c:tio~s}1.ip betweenMl isole.te and D. reference av.i c.n reovirus .3- Screening of 880 randon blood samples from 18 broiler cnd26 breeder chicken flocks for 2vian reovirus antibody by theagcr gel prcciptin test r-ev er.Led the ub.i quf. t.:f of Lnf ec ta.on oIn broilers, the ever-age incidence of r-euc t or-a weB c lmos tsimile.J:’ in flocks r£ised intensively end ext ens Lve Ly (4C%.and 42.2% respectively), while in breeders the nvercge inc-idence of r-eac t or-s wc.s hf.gh er (3105%) in the f o rrae r flockst hcn in the La tt ers (20.5%). It Wf’.S r.Lao found t hc t broilershs.d e. significe.ntly higher ave r-r ge incidence of 2V1llDll reovirusEntibody (41.4%) than breeder birds (2703%)” Morenver, out of 120 individuul blood samples from dd.agno atd c cr.ae s 52 (4303%) hed percipitin antibody 2ge.inst cvinn reovirus.4- It is believed th&t this is the first report On the exis tence of cvien reoviru~ ~nfac~ion in chickens in Egypt.