Serological and Microbiological Surveys of Specific Pathogen-Free Chicken Flocks on the Yakumo Farm, Kitasato University

Abstract

Serological and microbiological surveys were performed on Specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicken flbcks, establishedin1979, on the Yakumo farm, Kitasato University. Atotalnumberof30, 445 chickens were examined during a six-year period ending in April, 1985. All of them were free from antibodies against avian infectious bronchitis, avian encephalomyelitis, avian infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT), avian reticuloendotheliosis, Marek's disease, infectious bursal disease, avian viral tenosynovities, avian adeno infection (AAV), avian leukosis and sarcoma (subgroups A and B), Newcastle disease, avian influenza, avian parainfluenza, the egg drop syndrome-1976, infectious coryza, pullorum disease (SP) and mycoplasmosis of chickens (M. gallisepticum, MG;M. synoviae, MS).
A few of them, however, presented nonspecific reactions to SP, MG, ILT and AAV antigen.Escherichia coli, Proteus spp. andStaphylococcusspp. were isolated from intestinal samples as normal flora, but no mycoplasmas or viruses were isolated.
These findings indicated that the SPF chicken flocks had been maintained in the pathogen-free condition.