Vol. 12, Special Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
R Ravikumar, J Selvaraj, GA Balasubramaniam, S Balakrishnan, T Lurthu Reetha and R Thangathurai

Abstract:
The present study reports the co- infection of Marek’s disease (MD) and lymphoid leucosis (LL) in fourteen layer chickens of 39 weeks age and the flock size was 30,000. The cumulative mortality from 27 to 39 weeks (13 wks) was 6%. Affected chicken showed inactivity, anorexia, paralysis and emaciation. Necropsy examination of suspected dead bird’s visceral organs like liver, spleen and kidney revealed severe enlargement and numerous greyish tumourous spots / foci on surface. Microscopic examination of liver, spleen and kidney sections revealed mixed lymphoid cell infiltration which is suggestive of co-infection of MD and LL.