Differential Diagnosis of Lymphoid Leukosis and Marek's Disease by Tumor-Associated Criteria II. Studies on Field Cases

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Abstract
Of 30 field cases consisting of chickens from commercial flocks with tumorous conditions similar to Marek''s disease (MD) and lymphoid leukosis (LL), 28 could be clearly diagnosed as either 1 disease or the other by determination of the percentages of lymphoma cells with T [thymus-derived] or B [bursa-derived] lymphocyte antigens, cell surface immunoglobulin M (IgM), or Marek''s disease tumor-associated surface antigen (MATSA). In 24 cases in which MD was diagnosed, 71% of the lymphoma cells were T lymphocytes, about 15% were B lymphocytes, 7.7% had cell surface IgM and 6.7% were positive for MATSA. In the 4 field cases in which LL was diagnosed, > 90% of the lymphoma cells were B lymphocytes and had cell surface IgM, only 7% were T lymphocytes and none were positive for MATSA. According to those results, the diagnosis of MD and LL may be established with a high degree of accuracy by the membrane immunofluorescence test system applied. This test system proved especially useful in cases were histological examinations of suspect tissue gave no clear indications of either MD or LL.