An avian influenza virus H6N1 outbreak in commercial layers: case report and reproduction of the disease.

An avian influenza virus H6N1 outbreak in commercial layers: case report and reproduction of the disease. Avian Pathol. 2018 Nov 28;:1-35 Authors: Landman WJM, Germeraad EA, Kense MJ Abstract An outbreak of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) subtype H6N1 (intravenous pathogenicity index = 0.11) infection occurred in four productive brown layer flocks on three farms in the Netherlands within a period of two months. The farms were located at a maximum distance of 4.6 km from each other. The infections were associated with egg production drops up to 74%, pale eggshells and persisting high mortality up to 3.2% per week. Three flocks were slaughtered prematurely as they were not profitable anymore. Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, egg drop syndrome and Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections could very likely be excluded as cause of or contributor to the condition in the field. Also, the anticoccidial drug nicarbazin, which can cause egg production drops and eggshell decolouration was not detected in eggs from affected flocks. Furthermore, post-mortem examinations revealed no lesions indicative of bacterial infection. Moreover, bacteriological analysis of hens was negative. The condition was reproduced in commercial brown layers after intratracheal inoculation with virus isolates from affected flocks. It is concluded that the LPAI H6N1 virus is very likely the only cause of the disease. An overview of main manuscripts publis...
Source: Avian Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Avian Pathol Source Type: research