Outbreak of anemia associated with chicken anemia agent in young chicks.

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Abstract
An outbreak of anemia caused by chicken anemia agent (CAA) infection was observed in the progeny chicks derived from the breeder flocks imported on a poultry frm. The mortality rate of female and male chicks between 12 to 25 days of age was about 2.4% and 20.9%, respectively. Macroscopically, the affected chicks revealed yellowish bone marrow, marked atrophy of the thymus and bursa of Fabricius, discoloration and swelling of the liver and consolidation of the lung. Histologically, marked aplasia or hypoplasia of the bone marrow and severe depletion of lymphocytes in the lymphoid organs were observed in most birds examined. CAA was isolated in MDCC-MSB1 cells from livers of the affected chicks at 17 days of age. Pulmonary aspergillosis and bacterial infections were high in incidence and an important cause of loss in the present chick flocks. One-day-old progeny chicks derived from the same breeder flock as that of the naturally affected birds showed low susceptibility to the agent isolated.