Distribution and Concentration of Duck Hepatitis Virus in Inoculated Ducklings and Chicken Embryos

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Abstract
The distribution and concentration of two field and two chicken-embryo-passaged strains of duck hepatitis virus in ducklings and in chicken embryos were studied. Virus was found in the brain, lung, heart, liver, spleen, and leg muscles of inoculated ducklings, and in the allantoic fluid, amniotic fluid, embryo head minus eyes, embryo liver, embryo minus head and liver, and chorioallantoic membrane of inoculated chicken embryos. The virus concentration was high in the liver and spleen, and low in the heart and brain of the ducklings. In the chicken embryos the virus concentration was highest in the embryo minus the head and liver, and lowest in the allantoic fluid. The distribution and relative concentration of the virus in ducklings or chicken embryos inoculated with four different strains of virus were similar. The possible practical application of the findings is discussed.