NEWSLETTER

Animal Health and Diagnostics Information for the Livestock and Poultry Industries.
Subscribe now to receive this FREE online newsletter.

Newsletter Archive

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ALV

Avian Leukosis Virus

Lymphoid leukosis, the most common manifestation of the avian leukosis/sarcoma group of viruses, produces a variety of neoplastic diseases, including erythroblastosis, myelocytomatosis, myeloblastosis and others. Not all infected birds will develop tumors. Infection can occur horizontally from bird to bird by direct or indirect contact, or vertically from an infected hen to her eggs as virus is shed into the albumin of the egg. In addition, vertical transmission may occur from virus incorporated in the DNA of a germ cell. Viremia in the hen is strongly associated with the transmission of virus congenitally. Enzyme immunoassays have proven efficacious in the detection of both leukosis antibody and antigen.

Testing Solutions

FlockChek* Avian Leukosis Virus Antibody Test Kit

Availability/Distribution: Worldwide

The FlockChek Avian Leukosis Virus Antibody Test Kit is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) designed to detect antibody to avian leukosis virus (ALV) subgroups A and B in chicken serum. Antibody to subgroups C–E and J are not detected.

FlockChek* LL Antibody ELISA:
5 plates, serum samples, indirect format

FlockChek* Avian Leukosis-J Virus Antibody Test Kit

Availability/Distribution: Worldwide

ALV-J is an avian retrovirus first isolated in meat-type chickens in the late 1980s, and is designated as a unique subgroup partly based on the envelope glycoprotein (gp85).1 Clinically, ALV-J causes predominantly myeloid leukosis, with variable tumor frequency across chicken lines.1,2 As with other avian leukosis viruses, ALV-J is transmitted both vertically (congenital infection of the egg albumin and the chick embryo) and horizontally (through close contact with infected chicks).2,3 This test was designed as a screening tool using serum samples from flocks 10 weeks of age or older.

FlockChek* ALV-J Antibody ELISA:
5 plates, serum samples, indirect format

Avian Leukosis Virus Antigen Test Kit

Availability/Distribution: Worldwide

The ALV antigen test detects p27, an antigen common to all subgroups of ALV, including endogenous viruses. The recommended sample types are light albumin and cloacal swabs. While serum has been validated for use on the ALV antigen test, it is not a recommended sample for the detection of exogenous virus because of potential interference from endogenous sequences.4

FlockChek* LL Antigen (p27) ELISA:
5 plates; albumin, cloacal swab and serum samples; antigen-capture format

Payne LN, et al. A novel subgroup of exogenous avian leukosis virus in chickens. Journal of General Virolog. 1991;72:801–807.
Payne LN, Fadly AM. Neoplastic diseases/Leukosis/Sarcoma group. In: Calnek BW, et al., eds. Diseases of Poultry. 10th ed. Ames, Ia: Iowa State University Press; 1997:414–466.
Payne LN. HPRS-103: A retrovirus strikes back. The emergence of subgroup J avian leukosis virus. Avian Pathology. 1998;27:36–45.
Payne LN, Gillespie AM, Howes K. Unsuitability of chicken sera for detection of exogenous ALV by the group-specific antigen ELISA. Veterinary Record. May 1993:555–557.

This symbol indicates PDF-formatted materials. To view, you may need to download a free copy of Adobe^® Reader^® software.

* xChek, CHEKIT, FlockChek and HerdChek are trademarks or registered trademarks of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Pourquier is a trademark of Institut Pourquier, a wholly owned subsidiary of IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.