Isolation of viruses from outbreaks of suspected tenosynovitis (viral arthritis) in chickens

Specimens from the legs of chickens from 84 outbreaks of suspected tenosynovitis were examined for the presence of viruses by culture in chick embryo lung or liver cell monolayers. All samples were from broilers or broiler breeders, ranging in age from dead-ill-shell embryos to 36 weeks old. Twenty-five outbreaks (29-8 per cent) yielded viruses of which 12 were reoviruses alone, 12 adenoviruses alone, and one, a mixture of both types of virus. Rupture of the gastrocnemius tendon was seen in 12 outbreaks and viruses were isolated from six of these: three were reoviruses and three were adenoviruses. Approximately half the affected flocks from which specimens were received were in the six to 14 week age range. With one exception, all the reovirus isolations were made from chickens of 11 weeks or under, while adenovirus isolations showed more scatter with regard to age.