The Pathogenesis of Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus Infection of Chickens of Different Ages and Different Levels of Immunity

Chickens of 7 weeks or 20 weeks of age were divided into three groups according to their antibody status (high, low, absent) and were infected with a velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease virus. To follow patterns of viral replication, birds were necropsied at regular intervals up to 22 days and organs were sampled from each bird. In non-immune birds, virus could be isolated from all organs examined. In birds with antibody, virus was most frequently isolated from the proventriculus, cecal tonsil, bursa, and brain. However, because no one organ could be recommended for all situations, all four should be sampled for field diagnosis. In immune birds, although clinical signs were either mild or absent, widespread virus replication occurred up to 19 days post-challenge.