Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A study on the infection status and transmission of avian leukosis virus subgroup J in Hy-line brown roosters

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Archives of Virology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) is the most prevalent subgroup in chickens and exhibits increased pathogenicity and stronger horizontal and vertical transmission ability among different breeds. Although vertical transmission of ALV-J from infected hens through artificial insemination has been inferred from the detection of the p27 antigen in swabs and serum, there has been no further research on the transmission pattern of ALVs in roosters. In the present study, the positive rate of ALV increased significantly in an indigenous flock after detecting the p27 antigen via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and virus isolation in DF-1 cells. Viral sequence comparisons and an indirect fluorescent antibody assay showed that these isolates belonged to the ALV-J subgroup but formed a new branch in a phylogenetic tree when compared to domestic and foreign referential strains. The gp85 gene of the ALV-J isolated from hens and albumen was 94.1–99.7% identical to that in roosters, revealing that these isolates were quite likely transmitted to the hens and their offspring through the semen of ALV-infected roosters by artificial insemination from the Hy-line brown roosters. In addition, we defined four ALV-J infection states in plasma and semen of roosters (P+S+, P-S+, P+S-, and P-S-), which suggests that, in order to eradicate ALV in roosters, it is necessary to perform virus isolation using both semen and plasma. Additionally, ALV detection in semen by ELISA produced false-positive and false-negative results when compared to virus isolation in DF-1 cells. Collectively, our results suggested that an incomplete process of eradication of ALV from ALV-positive roosters led to the sporadic presence of ALV-J in laying hens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Weiss RA, Vogt PK (2011) 100 years of Rous sarcoma virus. J Exp Med 208(12):2351–2355

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Payne LN, Nair V (2012) The long view: 40 years of avian leukosis research. Avian Pathol 41(1):11–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Dong X, Zhao P, Xu B, Fan J, Meng F, Sun P, Ju SD, Li Y, Chang S, Shi WF, Cui Z (2015) Avian leukosis virus in indigenous chicken breeds. China Emerg Microbes Infect 4(12):e76

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Payne LN, Howes K, Gillespie AM, Smith LM (1992) Host range of Rous sarcoma virus pseudotype RSV(HPRS-103) in 12 avian species: support for a new avian retrovirus envelope subgroup. designated J J Gen Virol 73(Pt 11):2995–2997

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Venugopal K, Howes K, Flannery DM, Payne LN (2000) Isolation of acutely transforming subgroup J avian leukosis viruses that induce erythroblastosis and myelocytomatosis. Avian Pathol 29(4):327–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Li XJ, Lin WC, Chang S, Zhao P, Zhang XH, Liu Y, Chen WG, Li BH, Shu DM, Zhang HM, Chen F, Xie Q (2016) Isolation, identification and evolution analysis of a novel subgroup of avian leukosis virus isolated from a local Chinese yellow broiler in South China. Arch Virol 161(10):2717–2725

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lai HZ, Zhang HN, Ning ZY, Chen RL, Zhang WY, Qing AJ, Xin CA, Yu KZ, Cao WS, Liao M (2011) Isolation and characterization of emerging subgroup J avian leukosis virus associated with hemangioma in egg-type chickens. Vet Microbiol 151(3–4):275–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Pan W, Gao YL, Qin LT, Ni W, Liu ZS, Yun BL, Wang YQ, Qi XL, Gao HL, Wang X (2012) Genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of glycoprotein GP85 of ALV-J isolates from Mainland China between 1999 and 2010: coexistence of two extremely different subgroups in layers. Vet Microbiol 156(1–2):205–212

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Li Y, Liu XM, Liu HX, Xu CG, Liao YL, Wu XC, Cao WS, Liao M (2013) Isolation, identification, and phylogenetic analysis of two avian leukosis virus subgroup J strains associated with hemangioma and myeloid leukosis. Vet Microbiol 166(3–4):356–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cui Z, Du Y, Zhang Z, Silva RF (2003) Comparison of Chinese field strains of avian leukosis subgroup J viruses with prototype strain HPRS-103 and United States strains. Avian Dis 47(4):1321–1330

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Li J, Meng F, Li W, Wang Y, Chang S, Zhao P, Cui Z (2018) Characterization of avian leukosis virus subgroup J isolated between 1999 and 2013 in China. Poult Sci 97(10):3532–3539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Rubin H, Fanshier L, Cornelius A, Hughes WF (1962) Tolerance and immunity in chickens after congenital and contact infection with an avian leukosis virus. Virology 17:143–156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Li Y, Cui S, Li W, Wang Y, Cui Z, Zhao P, Chang S (2017) Vertical transmission of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) from hens infected through artificial insemination with ALV-J infected semen. BMC Vet Res 13(1):204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Tamura K, Stecher G, Peterson D, Filipski A, Kumar S (2013) MEGA6: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis version 6.0. Mol Biol Evol 30(12):2725–2729

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang YW, Su Q, Zhang ZH, Cui ZZ, Chang S, Zhao P (2020) Molecular characteristics of the re-emerged avian leukosis virus in China, 2018–2019. Transbound Emerg Dis 67(3):1141–1151

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Sun Y, Du T, Liu B, Syed SF, Chen Y, Li H, Zhao Q (2016) Seroprevalence of avian hepatitis E virus and avian leucosis virus subgroup J in chicken flocks with hepatitis syndrome. China BMC Vet Res 12(1):261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang YX, Li J, Li Y, Fang LC, Sun XL, Chang S, Zhao P, Cui ZZ (2016b) Identification of avian leukosis virus subgroup J-associated acutely transforming viruses carrying the v-src oncogene in layer chickens. J Gen Virol 97(5):1240–1248

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Wang YX, Li J, Li Y, Fang LC, Sun XL, Chang S, Zhao P, Cui ZZ (2016a) Identification of ALV-J associated acutely transforming virus Fu-J carrying complete v-fps oncogene. Virus Genes 52(3):365–371

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Cheng Z, Liu J, Cui Z, Zhang L (2010) Tumors associated with avian leukosis virus subgroup J in layer hens during 2007 to 2009 in China. J Vet Med Sci 72(8):1027–1033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Zhang Y, Su Q, Zhang Z, Cui Z, Chang S, Zhao P (2020) Molecular characteristics of the re-emerged avian leukosis virus in China, 2018–2019. Transbound Emerg Dis 67(3):1141–1151

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Sun Y, Lu QZ, Zhang JF, Li XX, Zhao JK, Fan WQ, Ji PP, Wang K, Zhou EM, Zhao Q (2020) Co-infection with avian hepatitis E virus and avian leukosis virus subgroup J as the cause of an outbreak of hepatitis and liver hemorrhagic syndromes in a brown layer chicken flock in. China Poult Sci 99(3):1287–1296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Meng F, Dong X, Hu T, Chang S, Fan J, Zhao P, Cui Z (2016) A deep sequencing reveals significant diversity among dominant variants and evolutionary dynamics of avian leukosis viruses in two infectious ecosystems. BMC Vet Res 12(1):287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Dong X, Meng F, Hu T, Ju SD, Li Y, Sun P, Wang YX, Chen WQ, Zhang FS, Su HQ, Li SF, Cui H, Chen JX, Xu SZ, Fang LC, Luan HB, Zhang ZJ, Chang S, Li JL, Wang L, Zhao P, Shi WF, Cui Z (2017) Dynamic co-evolution and interaction of avian leukosis virus genetic variants and host immune responses. Front Microbiol 8:1168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lupiani B, Hunt H, Silva R, Fadly A (2000) Identification and characterization of recombinant subgroup J avian leukosis viruses (ALV) expressing subgroup A ALV envelope. Virology 276(1):37–43

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Gao X, Li Q, Fang L, Song H, Cui Z, Meng F, Zhang Z (2020) The follicle promotes the evolution of variants of avian leukosis virus subgroup J in vertical transmission. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 521:1089–1094

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation Youth Fund (31802201).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Fanfeng Meng, Qiuchen Li and Rui Han contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China

    Fanfeng Meng, Qiuchen Li & Guozhong Zhang

  2. TECON Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Xinjiang, China

    Rui Han

  3. China Institute of Veterinary Drug Control, Beijing, China

    Guanlong Xu

  4. Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China

    Xintao Gao & Zhifang Zhang

  5. Beijing Center for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China

    Fubing Luo, Guangnian Shen & Xiaodong Liu

  6. College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, China

    Peng Zhao

Authors
  1. Fanfeng Meng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qiuchen Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rui Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Guanlong Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xintao Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fubing Luo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Guangnian Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Xiaodong Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Zhifang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Peng Zhao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Guozhong Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Peng Zhao or Guozhong Zhang.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that this research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article does not include experiments with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Handling Editor: Hugo Soudeyns.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Meng, F., Li, Q., Han, R. et al. A study on the infection status and transmission of avian leukosis virus subgroup J in Hy-line brown roosters. Arch Virol 167, 1521–1527 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-022-05452-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-022-05452-4

Search

Navigation