Lin Yen-Cheng, Chen Chih-Feng, Ito Akira, Himeno Naomi, Lin Tzu-En
Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan; The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Poult Sci. 2025 Aug 24;104(11):105729. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.105729.
Chicken Leucocytozoonosis is a protozoan disease that affects the blood and tissues of chickens. High summer temperatures create optimal conditions for reproducing biting midges, the primary vectors for transmitting Leucocytozoon to chickens. In Taiwan, a subtropical region, the disease remains prevalent throughout the year, except in winter, leading to significant economic losses due to increased mortality and reduced egg production. Despite its impact, diagnosing this disease remains challenging. While clinical symptoms may suggest infection, rapid serological diagnostic methods are essential for laboratory confirmation and effective disease management. This study used the recombinant R7 (rR7) antigen to measure enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibody titers. Blood samples from 260 chickens, including laying and breeding hens, were collected from Central and Southern Taiwan between August and October 2024. Both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) antigen and ELISA antibody tests were conducted from the blood. Clinically, the 23 tested chicken flocks exhibited common symptoms, including noticeable greenish diarrhea, reduced egg production, cracked- and soft-shelled eggs, and pale comb of anemia characterized by pale combs. The results revealed that the ELISA antibody test showed a 33.5 % positive infection rate, while the PCR test showed only 0.43 %. Thus, ELISA antibody testing proves to be a sufficient diagnostic method in the early infection stage. Because of the high infection rate of Leucocytozoon in Taiwan, this study highlights a renewed understanding of the prevalence of Lecocytozoonosis over the past three decades. It also emphasizes the urgency of introducing the vaccines in Taiwan.
鸡住白细胞虫病是一种影响鸡血液和组织的原生动物疾病。夏季高温为传播住白细胞虫给鸡的主要媒介——叮咬蠓的繁殖创造了最佳条件。在亚热带地区台湾，除冬季外，该病全年流行，因死亡率增加和产蛋量减少导致重大经济损失。尽管有影响，但诊断这种疾病仍然具有挑战性。虽然临床症状可能提示感染，但快速血清学诊断方法对于实验室确诊和有效的疾病管理至关重要。本研究使用重组R7（rR7）抗原测量酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）抗体滴度。2024年8月至10月期间，从台湾中部和南部收集了260只鸡的血样，包括产蛋母鸡和种母鸡。对血液进行了聚合酶链反应（PCR）抗原检测和ELISA抗体检测。临床上，23个受测鸡群表现出常见症状，包括明显的绿色腹泻、产蛋量减少、蛋壳破裂和变软以及以鸡冠苍白为特征的贫血性苍白鸡冠。结果显示，ELISA抗体检测的阳性感染率为33.5%，而PCR检测仅为0.43%。因此，ELISA抗体检测被证明是早期感染阶段一种充分的诊断方法。由于台湾住白细胞虫感染率高，本研究凸显了对过去三十年住白细胞虫病流行情况的重新认识。它还强调了在台湾引入疫苗的紧迫性。
