Observations on Avian Encephalomyelitis-like Disease

Abstract

Two outbreaks of presumable avian encephalomyelitis occurred among young chicks in Okayama and Wakayama Prefectures. The following observations were made.
1. Intracerebral passages of brain materials collected from both outbreaks were performed with success. The inoculated young chicks showed the marked clinical manifestations of paraplegia and tremor.
2. Histopathological examination of 5 field and 55 experimental cases indicated non-purulent polioencephalomyelitis, i.e., neuronal degeneration characterized by central chromatolysis, perivascular cuffing and glial proliferation, which had a close resemblance to that of avian encephalomyelitis.