Chicken Meat as a Source of Avian Influenza Virus Persistence and Dissemination

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the persistence of Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) serotype H9N2 in the processed and frozen meat from chickens earlier exposed to this virus. For this purpose a group of chickens were experimentally infected with a field isolate (A/Chicken/Pakistan/NARC-02/2002) of AIV H9N2. After ten days post-inoculation, chickens were euthanized and their carcasses were cut into small pieces and stored at -20°C till further use. Subsequently, after every week selected pieces of frozen chicken were processed for isolation of AIV subtype H9N2 through embryonated egg inoculation. The data indicated that the AI virus was recoverable at different HA titres from various parts of chicken meat which includes neck, wings, breast, oscoxy, legs and bone marrow. It was possible to recover the AI virus using standard in ovo propagation techniques up to six weeks post-storage from most parts of the stored chicken.