DETECTION OF POULTRY INFECTION WITH THE VIRUS OF MAREKS-DISEASE USINGDIFFERENT LABORATORY METHODS

In this paper several laboratory methods for detecting the virus of Ma rek's disease (MD) in poultry are described. Pathogenic MD virus was i solated in cultures of duck fibroblasts, while vaccinal virus was grow n in culturs of chicken fibroblasts. The cytopathogenic effect of vaci nal virus was more intensive and could be vizualized faster than that of the pathogenic strain used for infection of the chickens. In the se rum of infected chickens, antibodies for ''A'' antigen of the MD virus were confirmed by agar gel precipitation, whereas in the vaccinated g roup no antibodies for this virus were found. In the feather follicles of infected chickens the MD virus could be confirmed by gel immunodif fusion, whereas the vaccinal virus was not detected by this technique. When determining the extent of chicken infection with MD virus culate s in farms, besides virus isolation in cell cultures, if would be usef ul to employ other laboratory methods also. Our report deals with the advantages and disadvantages of some of these methods.