Single and concurrent avian leukosis virus infections with avian leukosis virus-J and avian leukosis virus-A in Australian meat-type chickens.

Australian broiler breeders were screened for avian leukosis viruses (ALVs) (May 2001 to December 2003) as surveillance of measures to reduce the prevalence of ALV-J. Samples of blood (4233), albumen (1122), meconium (99) and tumours (16) were obtained from 93 flocks in six Australian states. Virus isolation was performed in C/O chick embryo fibroblast cultures, which were initially screened by group-specific antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with follow-up confirmation using polymerase chain reaction. The chronology of isolations reveals the circulation of both ALV-J and ALV-A during this period. On 16 occasions single isolations were found to contain both ALV-A and ALV-J. This is the first report of dual infections with two subgroups of ALV occurring in the same chicken. The effectiveness of ALV-J eradication measures is indicated by the absence of any ALV-J isolations in late 2003. ALV-A however, continued to be isolated from the broiler population. The detection of dual infections, as well as the ongoing occurrence of ALV-A in meat-type birds, is discussed in the context of ongoing potential for recombinations and the associated threat for the emergence of avian leukosis virus with changes in host range and pathogenicity.