INCLUSION-BODY HEPATITIS IN JAPANESE-QUAIL (COTURNIX-COTURNIX-JAPONICA)

Japanese quails of 10 weeks of age experienced 60% mortality in 5 mont hs due to hepatitis. At necropsy, these birds had multiple pale foci t hroughout their livers along with enlarged, mottled spleen. Histologic ally, the foci revealed hepatic necrosis with infiltration of mononucl ear cells and a few heterophils' Most of hepatic cells had large intra nuclear basophilic inclusion bodies. Avian adenovirus was isolated fro m affected livers. It caused death in chicken embryo. The isolate was confirmed to be avian adenovirus (AAV) by gel-precipitation test using known AAV-1 antiserum.