DEVELOPMENT OF A CHICKEN MODEL FOR STUDYING AVIAN POLYOMAVIRUS INFECTION

The purpose of this study was to develop a chicken model for studying the pathogenesis of avian polyomaviral infection. Ninety-two 1-day-old specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chicks were divided into the following t hree treatment groups: nontreated controls, treated with cyclosporine and treated with cyclophosphamide (CY). All birds were inoculated with polyomavirus; half were orally inoculated and half were inoculated by intraperitoneal (IP) injection. Spontaneous mortality and lesion deve lopment consistent with polyomaviral infection in psittacine birds occ urred only in the CY-treated, IP-inoculated chicks. Immunohistochemist ry confirmed that the intranuclear inclusions found microscopically we re associated with polyomaviral antigen. Serology demonstrated postino culation titers against polyomavirus in several experimental groups. O ne-day-old SPF chickens appear to be convenient models for investigati ng the pathogenesis of avian polyomavirus infection.