ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND PLAQUE TITRATION OF PARVOVIRUS FROM MUSCOVY DUCKS IN JAPAN

Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata) showed abnormal feathering, leg weakn ess, and high mortality. A virus was isolated from these ducks after s everal blind passages in embryonating Muscovy duck eggs. The isolate w as resistant to chloroform, to pH 3.2, and to 65 C for 30 min. Electro n microscopy showed that the isolate was an icosahedral and nonenvelop ed virus 20-22 nm in diameter. The isolate reacted with an antiserum a gainst a goose parvovirus in agar gel precipitation tests. After 15 pa ssages of the isolate in embryonating eggs, the isolate was adapted to Muscovy duck embryo fibroblasts. The adapted virus developed cytopath ic effects and made clear plaques on sheets of the fibroblasts. When 5 -iodo-2-deoxyuridine was added to the culture medium, virus growth was inhibited. From the data shown above, the isolate was identified as a goose parvovirus.