Experimental egg-transmission of avian reovirus

Two experiments with an avian reovirus (FDO isolant), serologically identical to the Fahey-Crawley and WVU 2937 isolants, provided conclusive proof that egg-transmission can occur. In the first experiment, 4-day-old chicken embryos were inoculated into the yolk sac with serial dilutions of virus and subsequently hatched. High virus doses killed all embryos, whereas low doses (14 or less plaque-forming units) allowed some embryos to hatch normally although infected. In the second experiment, virus was administered by the nasal, esophageal, and tracheal routes to twenty 15-month-old breeders. Eggs from -6 to 21 days and 58 to 64 days postinoculation were incubated. Three newly hatched chicks from eggs laid on successive days (17, 18, and 19 days postinoculation) and one infertile egg (61 days postinoculation) were found infected. Active infection, as judged by virus isolations from cloacal swabs, was over by the 17th day postinoculation.