Effects of storage and heat treatment of eggs on stability and congenital transmission of avian lymphoid leukosis viruses

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Abstract
Inactivation of lymphoid leukosis (LL) virus in albumen of eggs laid by infected hens was found to be dependent on storage conditions and titre of virus. Heat treatment (45°C in water bath for 1 hour) of hatching eggs before incubation resulted in the complete inactivation of LL virus in albumen. The group‐specific (gs) antigen, however, was not affected by the treatment as indicated by a direct complement‐fixation test. Results obtained from heat treatment of naturally infected eggs collected from two breeder flocks were inconsistent. The LL virus infection was reduced, but in only one trial, in chicks hatched from heat‐treated eggs of one of the two flocks used. The regimen of heat treatment used in this study had no significant effect on hatchability. The conclusion is that the practical value of this procedure is not clear.