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Biomedical subjects

D C Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to D C Johnson.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

Frequency of Salmonella enteritidis and other salmonellae in the ceca of spent hens at time of slaughter.

A study was conducted to determine the frequency of Salmonella enteritidis (SE) and other Salmonella serovars in the cecal contents of spent laying hens at a hen-processing plant in the southeastern United States over a 4 1/2-month period, from October 1990 through February 1991. A total of 1920 pooled cecal samples (three ceca per sample) from 38 flocks representing 23 producers were obtained and tested for the presence of SE and other Salmonella serovars. A total of 359 samples (18.7%) from 37 of the 38 flocks (97.4%) showed characteristic reactions for salmonellae on triple sugar iron agar (TSIA) slants. Twenty-nine of the 359 Salmonella-positive samples (8.1%) were Group D-positive, all of which were found to be SE on further serotyping. The SE-positive samples were from seven of the 38 flocks (18.4%); four flocks originated from the USDA/APHIS-designated Northern Region of the United States, and three were from the Southeastern Region. Serotyping of the 330 TSIA-positive Group-D negative Salmonella revealed 37 different serovars. S. heidelberg, the predominant serovar, was identified in 49.1% of these isolates.

Abattoirs↗

Prevalence of Salmonella enteritidis in spent hens.

As part of a USDA/APHIS study on the prevalence of Salmonella enteritidis in spent laying hens, 3700 pooled cecal samples were cultured for Salmonella. Samples were received from a single processing plant and represented 81 commercial egg-type layer flocks from nine southern states. Salmonella were isolated from 2418 of the 3700 (65.4%) cecal pools, but only six isolates were serotype enteritidis. S. enteritidis was isolated from three flocks from two states but was detected in only six of 140 samples from those flocks. Various Salmonella isolation media and procedures were compared. Xylose-lysine-tergitol-4 plates detected 64% of the total Salmonella-positive cecal samples. Brilliant green agar with novobiocin detected 72% of the total Salmonella-positive samples. When used in combination, 82% of the positive samples were detected with these two plates. The remaining 425 Salmonella-positive samples were detected after delayed secondary enrichment.

Abattoirs↗

Epidemiology of reticuloendotheliosis virus in broiler breeder flocks.

Six broiler breeder flocks from two companies in Mississippi were tested at intervals for reticuloendotheliosis (RE) virus infection. Virus was isolated and antibody demonstrated in all six flocks. Infection was first detected at ages ranging from 13 to 47 weeks. Studies showed that neither congenital transmission from grandparent flocks nor treatment with contaminated vaccines was a likely source of infection; thus, exposure to RE virus was assumed to come from the environment. Virus was isolated from litter samples from two of the flocks, but no specific environmental infection source was identified. Infection rates of flocks differed between the two companies. Although adequate controls were lacking, no performance problems due to RE virus infection were apparent in breeder or broiler progeny flocks. However, the RE viruses isolated from these flocks were immunosuppressive and oncogenic when inoculated into day-old chicks. A moderate (3-16%) incidence of neoplasms was induced by contact exposure to these field isolates in the laboratory.

Animals↗

Failure to demonstrate viscerotropic velogenic Newcastle disease in psittacine birds in the Republic of the Philippines.

Birds on the islands of Luzon, Mindanao, and Palawan in the Republic of the Philippines were surveyed for viscerotropic velogenic Newcastle disease (VVND). Virus isolation was attempted on 728 cloacal samples from native and exotic psittacine birds, non-psittacine birds, and domestic chickens and ducks. A VVND virus isolate was obtained from a single domestic chicken that had exhibited ocular discharge and diarrhea 3 days before sampling. All other birds were negative for VVND.

Animals↗

Isolation of avian influenza virus (subtype H5N2) from chicken eggs during a natural outbreak.

Avian influenza virus (A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/83; H5N2) was recovered from the yolk, albumen, and shell surface of eggs obtained from naturally infected chicken flocks in Pennsylvania and Virginia. These findings represent the first reported isolation of avian influenza virus from the internal contents of eggs from naturally infected flocks. The need for adequate safeguards to prevent spread of the virus during commercial movement of table and hatching eggs, cracked and "checked" eggs, and egg flats and other materials is emphasized.

Animals↗

A fowl typhoid outbreak in a chicken breeder flock.

Fowl typhoid was diagnosed in a 1-year-old light-breed brown-egg-laying chicken breeder flock and in a 16-week-old progeny pullet flock on the same farm. Salmonella gallinarum was cultured from chickens in both flocks. Signs and lesions were typical. The disease was confined to the one farm. The source was suspected to have been a grossly contaminated well.

Animals↗

Serologic evidence in commercial chicken and turkey flocks of infection with reticuloendotheliosis virus.

A serologic survey has documented probable infection with reticuloendotheliosis (RE) virus in 21.0% of 101 layer flocks, 23.5% of 85 broiler and broiler-breeder flocks, 2.3% of 43 backyard chicken flocks, and 4.8% of 125 turkey production and breeder flocks. However, no infection was detected in 72 grandparent lines of chicken breeding stocks representing meat-type and layer strains. The existence of natural infection was further supported by isolation of RE virus from one experimental chicken flock and two commercial turkey flocks. This study supports earlier but subsequently discounted data by Aulisio and Shelokov that exposure to RE virus occurs commonly among commercial chickens in the United States, as has also been reported in other countries.

Animals↗

Field studies with convalescent serum and infectious bursal disease vaccine to control turkey coryza.

Convalescent serum given to 1-day-old poults delayed clinical signs of turkey coryza by several days and reduced mortality on infected farms. Turkey breeders immunized with cell-culture-adapted infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) or turkey infectious bursal disease virus (TIBDV) had a marked increase in virus-neutralization (VN) antibody titers. The VN antibody titer was significantly higher in progeny poults than in poults from unimmunized breeders. Clinical turkey coryza and mortality was considerably less in poults from IBD- or TIBD-vaccinated breeders than in control poults. They also responded more favorably to hemorrhagic enteritis and fowl cholera vaccination.

Animals↗

Wildlife surveillance during a Mycoplasma gallisepticum epornitic in domestic turkeys.

During a major Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) epornitic in domestic turkeys, tracheal swabs were collected and cultured from 477 and 770 potentially exposed wild mammals and birds, respectively. All culture attempts were negative. Serum-plate (SP) and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests on 770 bird sera revealed low titers (less than or equal to 1:40) in 0.9% of tested house sparrows, 1.1% of brown-headed cowbirds, 35.7% of common grackles, 1.0% of starlings, and 16.6% of eastern meadowlarks. Low titers are believed to have resulted from birds feeding on contaminated litter and becoming sensitized. Wildlife species did not appear to be involved in transmission or maintenance of MG but may have been mechanical carriers of this pathogen.

Animals↗