Propagation and preliminary characterization of a chicken candidate calicivirus

The present paper reports the propagation and partial characterization of calici-like virus particles previously observed in gut homogenates obtained from stunted broiler chicks. Radiolabelling experiments with [3H]uridine showed that the virus possesses an RNA genome and that it can replicate in primary chick embryo fibroblasts in the presence of actinomycin D. In vivo studies showed that the virus can be serially passaged in specific pathogen-free chicks and virus particles can be recovered from the gut and excreta of infected birds. The morphological appearance and biophysical properties of the virus were similar to those of feline calicivirus, which supports the view that it should be tentatively classified as a member of the Caliciviridae.