Molecular detection of avian oncogenic viruses from apparently healthy chickens

Neoplastic infections due to oncogenic viruses are one of the major causes of economic problems faced by the poultry industry worldwide and the present study was undertaken in order to establish the prevalence of single or multiple avian oncogenic and associated virus infections in apparently healthy chicken. Marek's disease virus (MDV), reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) and avian leukosis virus (ALV) could be detected from 9.23%, 95.38% and 93.85% cases, respectively by PCR applied on DNA extracted from blood of apparently healthy chickens. Mixed infection of MDV+REV+ALV and REV+ALV could be detected from 9.23% and 89.23% cases, respectively, indicating that multiple infections of two or more oncoviruses in the same birds was more common than the single virus infection and REV was recorded as the most prevalent oncogenic virus infection in poultry.