Association of the major histocompatibility complex with avian leukosis virus infection in chickens

1. Association of the B blood group, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in chickens, with avian leukosis virus (ALV) infection shown by shedding of group-specific (gs) antigen was studied in an Australorp line selected for short oviposition interval to improve egg production. Three haplotypes (B8a, B9a and B21) were segregating in this line at frequencies of 66.7, 15.6 and 17.8%, respectively, averaged over three generations. 2. The relative risk (odds ratio) of a hen becoming a gs-antigen shedder was calculated for progenies of the dams shedding gs-antigen and those of non-shedding dams separately and pooled over three generations. In the progenies of shedding dams, the relative risk was not significantly different from 1.0 for the three haplotypes. In contrast, in the progenies of non-shedding dams, the relative risk was 0.67, 0.48 and 2.53 for B8a, B9a and B21, respectively, with the last two ratios being significantly different from 1.0. 3. The average effect of haplotype substitution on probability of shedding was estimated from a linear logistic model. The estimates (relative to zero for B8a) for B9a and B21, respectively, were -0.26 and 0.03 among the progenies of shedding dams, and -0.16 and 0.87 among the progenies of non-shedding dams. The last estimate only was highly significant. 4. These results suggest that the three haplotypes were similar in susceptibility to congenital infection through hatching eggs, but differed in susceptibility to post-hatching infection from other infected birds.