ACUTE-RENAL-FAILURE AS THE CAUSE OF DEATH IN CHICKENS FOLLOWING INTRAVENOUS INOCULATION WITH AVIAN INFLUENZA-VIRUS A CHICKEN ALABAMA 7395 75 (H4N8)/

One-day-old and 5-week-old commercial leghorn, specific-pathogen-free leghorn, and broiler chickens were inoculated intravenously with eithe r avian influenza virus isolate A/chicken/Alabama/7395/75 (H4N8) (Ck/A L) or sterile diluent. Ck/AL infection resulted in a 44% mortality rat e, reduced weight gains, and necrosis of proximal renal tubules and/or tubulointerstitial nephritis. The renal tubule necrosis was more seve re and widespread in chickens that died than in chickens that were eut hanatized. Hyperuricemia, hypercalcemia, and hyperphosphatemia were pr esent in 5-week-old chickens at day 5 postinfection. Influenza virus i solate Ck/AL was nephropathogenic, and death was associated with acute severe renal damage and failure. Some data suggested that the pathoge nicity of Ck/AL may be more severe in leghorns than broilers.