The Journal of Poultry Science
Online ISSN : 1349-0486
Print ISSN : 1346-7395
ISSN-L : 1346-7395
Volume 43, Issue 4
Displaying 1-15 of 15 articles from this issue
REVIEW
  • Fabrice Lavial, Guillaume Montillet, Elodie Bachelard, Jacques Samarut ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 313-322
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Over the past 3 decades, different strategies were launched to obtain transgenic animals and chicken in particular. Among various technical approaches, the direct modification of the embryo with DNA vectors or viruses is one of the ways of choice which led to the generation of transgenic chicken. In parallel, cellular approaches were also actively developed and were mainly based either on the use of embryonic stem cells (ESC) or of primordial germ cells (PGC). Both cellular types present advantages and disadvantages. ESC can be easily amplified in vitro and genetically modified but until now failed to contribute efficienctly to the germ line. In contrast, PGC colonize the germ line but present a limited proliferative potential and are hardly modified in vitro. The exact developmental and molecular relationships between these two cell types are not well documented. Finally, recent development and demonstration of the lentiviruses efficiency revivifies the interest for transgenic chicken as a tool for developmental studies as well as potential biotechnological and agronomic purposes.
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Nutrition and Feed
  • Muhammad Tahir, Fuad Saleh, Akira Ohtsuka, Kunioki Hayashi
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 323-329
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In our previous experiment, neither cellulase (Cell) nor hemicellulase (Hem) was effective in improving digestibility of corn-soybean meal diet in broiler chickens. As pectin is an important component in the cell wall matrix together with cellulose and hemicellulose, the effect of pectinase (Pec) and its combination with other carbohydrases were tested in the present study. The enzymes were mixed with the basal diet (CP 21%, ME 3000kcal/kg) and fed to male broiler chickens (Cobb) for 12 days from 15-d of age. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Chicks were raised in a 25°C environment in wire bottom cages during the entire experimental period. Pectinase had no significant effect on any of the parameters measured. However, the combination of Pec with Cell or Hem led to significant improvement in the ileal digestibilities of crude protein and organic matter and increased apparent metabolizable energy content of the corn-soybean meal diet. Carcass yield was improved by all the enzyme combinations. Breast muscle weight was significantly increased by Pec+Hem and Pec+Cell+Hem and tended to be increased by Pec+Cell. All of the enzyme combinations had no significant effects on body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat content. The results show the importance of Pec as a feed enzyme to improve the digestibility of a corn-soybean meal broiler diet.
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  • Peter H. Selle, David C. Creswell, David J. Cadogan, Gary G. Partridge ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 330-338
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    It is permissible to include meat-and-bone meal (MBM) in broiler diets in many countries outside the European Union, including Australia, where MBM is usually advantaged by being a relatively inexpensive source of phosphorus and protein. However, some producers may prefer to reduce their dependence on MBM as this feed ingredient has several disadvantages and may be a barrier to exports of chicken-meat. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to investigate the extent to which phytase supplementation can reduce MBM inclusion levels in wheat-based broiler diets. Standard and modified starter, grower and finisher diets were formulated so that modified diets contained lower MBM inclusions and reduced nutrient specifications. The standard and modified diets, the latter supplemented with 0, 500 or 750FTU/kg phytase (Phyzyme® XP), were offered to a total of 840 broilers in 24 floor pens from 1-42 days of age and the effects of dietary treatments on growth performance were determined. For the grower phase (15-28 days), five broilers from each floor pen were transferred to cages to permit total excreta collection to determine apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and nitrogen (N) retention. Acid insoluble ash was included in the caged birds’ diets and ileal digesta collected at 28 days to determine the effect of dietary treatments on apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids. Lowering nutrient specifications reduced growth performance and increased mortality rates over 42 days but this decline in performance was overcome by the addition of 750FTU/kg phytase to modified diets. Feed ingredient costs per unit of live weight gain were also reduced by phytase addition. Reducing dietary levels of MBM increased amino acid digestibilities in the modified grower diet. Moreover, phytase supplementation of modified diets linearly increased AID coefficients of alanine, aspartic acid, glycine, isoleucine, leucine, serine, threonine and tyrosine to a significant extent. Also, phytase (750FTU/kg) supplementation of the modified diet significantly increased AME by 0.27MJ/kg on a dry matter (DM) basis. Overall consumption of MBM was reduced from 233g to 14g per bird from 1-42 days of age following dietary modifications. It is noteworthy that reduced inclusions of MBM, coupled with phytase supplementation, enhanced ileal digestibility of total amino acids by 5.3% (0.834 versus 0.792). This study demonstrates that it is feasible to reduce MBM contents and nutrient specifications in wheat-based broiler diets in association with phytase supplementation without the addition of inorganic phosphorus sources.
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  • Sutisa Khempaka, Masato Mochizuki, Katsuki Koh, Yutaka Karasawa
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 339-343
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In order to clarify whether chitin in shrimp meal (SM) affects growth performance of broilers adversely, body weight gain, feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen retention were measured in broilers given diets containing 3 levels of SM and chitin. In addition, meat and skin color was also measured in the expectation of color intensification by astaxanthin in SM. Body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency decreased numerically in birds given SM diets, but did not change in birds given chitin diets. Dry matter (DM) digestibility decreased with increasing levels of SM and chitin. Chitin digestibility was low (at most 24%) and tended to decrease with increasing levels of SM and chitin. Ash digestibility decreased with increasing levels of SM but unchanged with increasing levels of chitin. N retention decreased with increasing levels of SM and chitin. The redness of thigh meat was increased by feeding SM. In conclusion, the results obtained here showed that decreased DM digestibility observed in birds given SM diets seemed to be explained by the low digestibility of chitin in SM, and SM may be useful to improve meat color of broilers.
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  • Maria S.J. Centeno, Patrícia I.P. Ponte, Teresa Ribeiro, Jos&ea ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 344-350
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Maize and soybean meal are the most common ingredients in diets for monogastric animals. Although maize is low in anti-nutritive factors, soybean meal often contains significant levels of soluble galactans, mannans or oligosaccharides of the raffinose series that may cause considerable nutritional disorders when ingested. It is well established that cellulases and xylanases are very effective in improving the nutritive value of barley, wheat or rye based diets for broiler chicks through the hydrolysis of soluble glucans and arabinoxylans. A study was undertaken to identify the most important exogenous enzymatic activities for decreasing the detrimental effects associated with the ingestion of soybean meal soluble polysaccharides. The data showed that birds fed on a mash maize-soybean meal based diet supplemented with the enzyme mixture Ronozyme® VP displayed improved final body weight, when compared with birds receiving the enzyme preparations Roxazyme® G200 or Alpha-Gal® 1000 (P=0.08). In vitro enzyme assays suggested that the positive effect associated with the intake of Ronozyme® VP is correlated with the presence of galactanase and mannanase activities. Zymogram analysis demonstrated that the molecular integrity and activity of the exogenous galactanases and mannanases remains relatively unchanged in the crop and the duodenal contents. Together the data suggest that hydrolysis of mannans and galactans by exogenous enzymes in maize-soybean meal based diets, result in an improvement of broiler performance.
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  • Mukund M. Kadam, Asit B. Mandal, Arumbackam V. Elangovan, Sarabmeet Ka ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 351-356
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    An experiment was conducted to assess the dietary levels of calcium at various energy levels in the diets of laying Japanese quail (n=400). Eight dietary treatments were formulated involving two levels of energy (2900 and 2700kcal ME/kg) and four levels of calcium (2.5, 2.75, 3.0 and 3.25%) in 2×4 factorial design. Each dietary treatment was offered to five groups of 10, i.e. 50 laying quail from 9-18 weeks of age. Hen-day egg production, egg weight, feed intake and egg mass were non significant (P>0.05) due to dietary treatments. Feed conversion (P<0.01) in terms of feed per unit egg mass or feed per dozen eggs, and net feed conversion (P<0.01) improved with the increased calcium level up to 3.0% of diet. The shape index, shell thickness or shell weight as percent of egg weight, however, did not change due to the levels of calcium. Except daily feed intake (P<0.01), other traits did not differ due to dietary energy concentration. Regression analyses revealed that egg mass (P<0.00042), egg production (P<0.0094), change in body weight (P<0.042), feed intake/kg egg mass (P<0.0043), feed intake/doz. egg (P<0.0012), net efficiency (P<0.00017) and shell thickness (P<0.054) were improved linearly with the increase in levels of calcium in diet. On partitioning of calcium and ME intake into maintenance, gain and egg mass, the R2 value emanated for partitioning of calcium and metabolizable energy were highly significant (P<0.0001) and the co-efficient values for different function were also logical. It can be concluded that the dietary level of 2700kcal ME/kg and 3.0% calcium were beneficial for optimum production of quail during their peak production.
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  • Olayiwola Adeola
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 357-364
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The objective of the present experiment was to determine the digestibility of amino acids and nitrogen-corrected apparent (AMEn) and true (TMEn) metabolizable energy contents of corn, pearl millet, and sorghum for White Pekin ducks. Fasting losses of nitrogen, amino acids, and energy were obtained from six drakes ; and six drakes were assigned to each of corn, pearl millet, and sorghum. Each experiment lasted 102h with an initial 48-h period and a 54-h excreta collection period. During the first 48-h period, all birds were tube-fed dextrose (30g/100mL of water) at 8 and 32h after feed was withdrawn. Each feedstuff was tube-fed (30g/100mL of water ; or 30g dextrose for birds from which fasting losses were obtained) at 48 and 54h after feed withdrawal. Excreta were collected during the last 54h into bags screwed onto lids sutured around the vent of each bird. Fasting nitrogen and energy losses per bird were 668mg and 38kcal, respectively. Fasting losses of amino acids ranged from 22mg for leucine to 128mg for glutamate. The TMEn values for corn, pearl millet, and sorghum were 3.751, 3.777, and 3.620kcal/g, respectively. Because of the differences in nitrogen retention between ducks fed pearl millet and corn, TMEn contents of pearl millet were greater (P<0.05) than those of sorghum. Of the amino acids considered, only leucine showed ingredient-related differences in true digestibility with corn (92.4%) and pearl millet (91.66%) being greater (P<0.05) than sorghum (89.97%). The true digestibility of lysine (79.75, 78.85, or 79.5%), methionine (89.01, 88.42, or 89.15%), and tryptophan (97.46, 96.4, or 94.9%) were not different among corn, pearl millet, or sorghum, respectively. The data provide new information on amino acid digestibility values as well as AMEn and TMEn contents of corn, pearl millet, and sorghum for ducks.
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  • Jumoke Abioye, Amos O. Fanimo, Adeyemi M. Bamgbose, Morenike A. Dipeol ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 365-370
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The effect of feeding kolanut husk meal (KHM) at five levels (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200g/kg) on growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility of Anak 2000 broiler chicks was investigated. Weight gain and feed/gain were reduced (P<0.05) with increased level of KHM in the diets. Feeding of KHM decreased (P<0.05) nitrogen retention, dry matter, ether extract and ash apparent digestibility of the diets while crude fibre digestibility increased. No significant effect was found for feed intake but protein intake and protein efficiency ratio decreased (P<0.05) with increased KHM in the diets. Alkaline phosphatase, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyrurate transaminase and urea increased (P<0.05) with the levels of KHM in the diets while serum protein decreased with increased KHM levels. Carcass measurements indicated a significant (P<0.05) decrease in dressing percent, drumstick, breast and abdominal fat while weight of heart, liver and gizzard increased with KHM inclusion in the diet. Cost of feed reduced (P<0.05) with increased KHM level but the cost of feed per kg weight gain increased.
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  • Gajula Shyam Sunder, Arun K. Panda, Nallani C.S. Gopinath, Mantena V.L ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 371-377
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Two feeding trials were simultaneously conducted using 240 and 120 broiler chicks (Hubbard) for evaluating the mineral retention by tissues and immune competence, respectively as influenced by manganese (Mn) levels in feed. Mn was added at 0, 100, 400, 800, 1600 or 3200ppm levels to a corn-soya basal diet, using sulphate salt. In both trials, chicks were uniformly distributed into 6 experimental groups and housed in stainless steel battery brooders. From 8-28 days of age, each experimental diet was fed ad libitum to one test group. Results indicated that Mn supplementation from 0-800ppm did not influence body weight gain or feed consumption, but a significant depression in both parameters was noticed at 1600 and 3200ppm levels. The feed conversion efficiency was however, not affected by dietary Mn levels. Excess (1600ppm and above) or non - supplementation of Mn increased leg abnormality scores. Mn levels above 400ppm significantly decreased Ca, P and Zn retention in tibia, which was related to higher leg scores. A linear increase of Mn content in bone, kidney, liver and pancreas was noticed with the increase of Mn in feed. The antibody titers against inoculation of sheep red blood cells or cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity to phytohaemagglutinin-P were not influenced by the dietary increases of Mn up to 800 or 1600ppm levels, respectively. Both responses were negatively affected by increased Mn levels in feed. Heterophil to lymphocyte ratios, the indicators of stress were not altered by Mn supplementation up to 800ppm, but higher levels produced wider ratios. In conclusion, supplementation of Mn at 100ppm level was essential for leg health, better retention of Ca, P and Zn in bone besides optimum immune response. Mn supplementation at 100ppm level was as efficient as higher levels (upto 800ppm). Higher levels of Mn (1600ppm and above) had negative effect on all parameters studied in broilers up to 28 days of age.
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  • Masoud Adibmoradi, Bahman Navidshad, Jamal Seifdavati, Maryam Royan
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 378-383
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of garlic (Allium sativum) meal on the intestinal mucosal morphology of broiler chickens between 21 and 42 days of age. A total of 1800, 21 days old Ross 308 broiler chicks were weighed and randomly allotted into 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2% dietary garlic meal groups of each 100 birds. Experimental diets were formulated by addition of each level of garlic meal to commercial finisher mash diet (CP : 20.45%, ME : 3,130kcal/kg), and fed ad libitum for 21d. At day 42, 15 chicks from each treatment were randomly killed to obtain intestinal samples.
    Villus height, epithelial thickness, goblet cell numbers, crypt depth and the ratio of crypt depth to villus height in each intestinal segment were compared using a light microscope. Garlic meal as a feed additive significantly enhanced villus height and crypt depth and decreased epithelial thickness and goblet cell numbers in duodenum, jejunum and ileum of birds. Fundamentally, jejunum and ileum revealed an almost similar morphological alteration to that in the duodenum except that dietary garlic meal supplement resulted in an increase in the ratio of crypt depth to villus height in duodenum but a decrease in jejunum and ileum. In present study, small intestinal morphological changes in chickens due to dietary garlic meal supplement demonstrate that absorptive process could be activated by garlic meal as an antibiotics alternative growth promoter.
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Nutrition and Feed: Research Note
  • Isao Kurauchi, Mari Asechi, Tetsuya Tachibana, Li Han, Kohsuke Hayamiz ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 384-387
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Pyruvate can be synthesized from amino acids such as L-alanine, L-serine and L-cysteine. Recently, we reported that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of L-serine and L-cysteine attenuated acute stress in chicks. This fact implies that amino acid substrates for pyruvate play a sedative role in the brain. However, no information was available for L-alanine. To elucidate the central effect of L-alanine on stress responses, L-alanine (0.8μmol) or saline was administered i.c.v. just before exposure to social separation stress. The social separation stress increased spontaneous activity and vocalization of chicks, but these responses were attenuated by the i.c.v. injection of L-alanine. In conclusion, in addition to L-serine and L-cysteine, centrally administered L-alanine may be effective in attenuating anxiety induced by a psychological stressor.
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  • Haq Nawaz, Tariq Mushtaq, Muhammad Yaqoob
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 388-393
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    An experiment involving 270 straight run one-day-old Hubbard broiler chicks was conducted on floor pens to investigate the effect of different levels of energy and protein on live performance and carcass responses of broilers chicks. Six broiler starter diets with two levels of metabolizable energy (ME) i.e., 2800 and 3000kcal/kg each with three levels of crude protein (CP) i.e., 20, 21 and 22% were offered to birds from hatching to 28d of age. Similarly, six broiler finisher diets with two levels of ME i.e. 3000 and 3200kcal/kg and 3 levels of CP i.e. 16, 17 and 18%, and 18, 19 and 20%, respectively, were offered during 29-42d of age. The chicks were randomly divided into 18 replicate of 15 chicks each and there were 3 replicates under each diet. Feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) high in diet having low ME during both phase, with 20 and 22% CP during starter phase whereas all CP levels showed non-significant effects on feed intake at finisher phase. Low ME and high CP diets showed high feed intake (p<0.05) during starter and finisher phases. Higher weight gains (p<0.05) were observed at low ME diets during the experiment. Dietary CP contents at low ME did not affect the weight gain during starter phase whereas high CP with low ME showed high weight gain in finisher phase. The response of CP and ME was similar for good feed conversion ratio (FCR) as was observed for feed intake and weight gain. No significant differences of dietary treatments were observed on any of the carcass characteristics. From the recent study, it is obvious that low ME and high CP diets promised optimum performance for broiler chicks at both starter and finisher phases.
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Physiology, Reproduction and Immunology
  • Hiroyuki Nakamichi, Akiko Sano, Takashi Harumi, Yuko Matsubara, Atsush ...
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 394-400
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    It is necessary to deplete the endogenous primordial germ cells (PGCs) from recipient embryos when germline chimaeric chickens are produced by the transfer of PGCs. In this study, effects of soft X-ray irradiation on the restriction of PGC proliferation were examined to obtain recipient embryos with as many depleted PGCs as possible. The stage X blastoderm was irradiated with soft X-rays (15 kVP, 5mA, 0.083nm, 16 cm distance) for 20-180 seconds (0.27-2.4Gy), and concentrations of PGCs in the bloodstream of embryos at stages 13-16 were analysed. The viabilities of embryos irradiated with soft X-rays for 20-90 seconds was not significantly different from those in the control, but were markedly reduced when embryos were irradiated with soft X-rays for 120-180 seconds. The concentration of PGCs in the bloodstream of embryos was reduced by increasing the irradiation time of soft X-rays. In particular, the concentration of PGCs at stages 14-15 started to decrease rapidly when irradiated with soft X-rays for more than 90 seconds. Administration of busulfan in the stage X blastoderm showed a similar effect to soft X-ray irradiation on the concentration of PGCs in the bloodstream of embryos. Our results suggest that a 90-second irradiation of soft X-rays to the stage X blastoderm is recommended for reducing the concentration of PGCs in chicken embryos without affecting their viability.
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Physiology, Reproduction and Immunology: Research Note
  • Yukinori Yoshimura, Mayuko Mizuguchi, Mariko Fujii, Naoki Isobe
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 401-407
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Peroxidase may play roles in innate host immunity and affect the sperm survivability in hen oviduct. The aim of this study was to localize the peroxidase activity in the oviduct of hens and to examine whether the activity is affected by the developmental stages of the oviduct. The oviducts were collected from immature, laying and non-laying White Leghorn hens. Formalin-fixed oviductal tissues were processed for frozen sections and incubated with reaction mixture containing diaminobenzidine and H2O2. No peroxidase activity products were found in the surface epithelium of the infundibulum, magnum, uterus and uetero-vaginal junction (UVJ), in the tubular glands of magnum, isthmus and uterus, and in the sperm storage tubules in the UVJ. The activity was occasionally observed in the surface epithelial cells in the isthmus. The surface epithelial cells of the vagina contained dense peroxidase reaction products, which were distributed at the bottom region of the secondary folds. The density of reaction products and their distribution were reduced in non-laying hens, and the oviducts of immature hens contained no peroxidase reaction products. These results suggest that the surface epithelium of the vagina contains peroxidase activity in laying hens, which may play roles in innate host immunity and affect the sperm viability passing the vagina. The vaginal peroxidase activity is likely to be changed in association with the developmental stage of the oviduct.
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Health, Environment and Management
  • Majid Bouzari, Peter Spardbrow
    2006 Volume 43 Issue 4 Pages 408-414
    Published: 2006
    Released on J-STAGE: November 08, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Heat-resistant strains of Newcastle disease virus, such as strain V4, are being used as vaccines to protect flocks of rural chickens in developing countries. Sometimes these vaccines are administered on food, a procedure that has yet to be optimized. Experiments were undertaken to determine the anatomical sites of initial infection with orally administered V4 virus, and the sites of initial viral replication. During the first 24 hours after introduction of V4 into the mouth of 3-weeks-old chickens, virus was isolated by egg inoculation from oesophagus, crop and trachea and less frequently from proventriculus. V4 virus was not isolated from other parts of the digestive tract, nor from blood. Evidence for viral replication was sought by egg inoculation and by immunohistochemistry 4 to 10 days after V4 strain was placed in the crop. Virus was detected most frequently and at highest titre from jejunum, ileum and caecum 6 days after infection. There were also isolations from blood, 4 days after infection. Viral antigens were detected in epithelial cells in most parts of the digestive tract and in some cells, possibly lymphocytes or macrophages, in lamina propria. It is suggested that V4 vaccine virus, given orally, attaches to cells in the upper digestive tract. Viral replication occurs mainly in cells of the lower digestive tract, probably reaching these sites as the result of a viraemia.
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