Age-Related Differences in Levels of Blood Chemistry Parameters and Cardiac Marker Proteins in Commercial Broilers

ABSTRACT The effect of age on levels of blood biochemical parameters in broiler chickens is largely unknown. The purpose of the present study was to investigate physiological alterations of blood chemistry variables in renal, liver, lipid and cardiac profile in commercial broilers at the age of 2(n=20) and 7 weeks (n=40). The results showed that compared with broiler chicks at the age of 7 weeks, those at the age of 2 weeks had significantly higher levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides and the enzymes alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase. Older chicks, on the other hand, displayed significantly higher levels of total protein, albumin, total cholesterol and the enzyme gammaglutamyl transferase. Although a significantly higher activity of cardiac enzyme aspartate aminotransferase and a significantly lower activity of lactate dehydrogenase were observed in older chickens, younger broilers exhibited a significantly higher concentration of the cardiac-specific marker troponin T. There was no significant age-related difference either in the levels of cardiac enzymes creatine kinase, creatine kinase MB or in glucose level. Cardiac troponin T concentration correlated significantly with that of CK-MB in both groups of animals studied. These results underline the importance of age as a significant contributor of variation in levels of several blood chemistry parameters and cardiac marker proteins, especially cardiac troponin T in broiler chicks

Role of Terrestrial Wild Birds in Ecology of Influenza A Virus (H5N1)

Recent viruses are pathogenic for some small terrestrial bird species

Avian Influenza H5N1 in Naturally Infected Domestic Cat

We report H5N1 virus infection in a domestic cat infected by eating a pigeon carcass. The virus isolated from the pigeon and the cat showed the same cluster as the viruses obtained during the outbreak in Thailand. Since cats are common house pets, concern regarding disease transmission to humans exists

Domestic Ducks and H5N1 Influenza Epidemic, Thailand

Traditional methods of raising ducks in Southeast Asia must be modified

Probable Tiger-to-Tiger Transmission of Avian Influenza H5N1

During the second outbreak of avian influenza H5N1 in Thailand, probable horizontal transmission among tigers was demonstrated in the tiger zoo. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of those viruses showed no differences from the first isolate obtained in January 2004. This finding has implications for influenza virus epidemiology and pathogenicity in mammals

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, Thailand, 2004

Early detection and control curtail outbreaks

Studies on the pathogenicity of duck tembusu virus strain KPS54A61 using mice and chickens

In Thailand, Flavivirus strain TMUV-KPS54A61 was isolated from mosquitoes and ducks. The pathogenicity of TMUV-KPS54A61 was tested in mice and chickens. The TCID50 of TMUV-KPS54A61 was estimated and a dilute was applied to groups A-D of adult chickens (105, 104, 103, 102 TCID50) and BALB/c mice using intracerebral inoculation. Young chickens were inoculated with 107TCID50 of TMUVKPS54A61. Adult chickens did not exhibit the clinical signs, while organ samples tested negative by RT-PCR for the genome of TMUV. On the other hand, groups A and B of BALB/c mice and young chickens showed clinical signs including anorexia, hunched posture, fluffy hair, diarrhea and retarded growth. Pathological changes observed including perivascular cuffing, multiple clusters of gliosis in cerebral and cerebellar. Necrosis of the liver cells and interstitial nephritis in the kidney were also found in young chickens, while the spleen and pancreas are unclear the pathological changes. Immunohistochemical staining of mouse spinal cord samples was positive for the virus protein. TMUV - KPS54A61 was detected in the serum, brain, liver, kidney, adrenal gland, pancreas and spinal cord by RT-PCR. Vero cells exhibited CPE after inoculation by the virus, which was isolated from the brain, spinal cord and kidneys. TMUV-KPS54A61 could maintain itself for a prolonged time in the brain, spinal cord and liver; therefore, it could be the target organs of virus and the TMUV - KPS54A61 could be pathogenic in young chickens and BALB/c mice

A Chromatographic and Electrophoretic Study of Hemoglobin of Domestic Fowl

ABSTRACT Gel filtration column chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) were used to study the chemical properties of hemoglobins for 2-week-old broilers, adult broilers and adult layer hen as well as adult ducks. All of the elution patterns obtained with 0.05 M Tris buffer pH 7.4 containing 0.02% sodium azide and monitored at 415 nm for hemoglobin, was consisted of one peak which was estimated as a molecular weight of 51,784 daltons. As compared with the result from SDS-PAGE, the denatured hemoglobin migrated into two bands with the molecular weight of 12,519 daltons and 10,984 daltons