Chicken Leukemia Virus

Fowl leukemia virus (FLV) is one of the most dangerous viruses that can infect chickens. It belongs to the genus Oncornavirus of the retrovirus family. FLV is the causative agent of three diseases in chickens: erythroblastosis, myeloblastosis and lymphocytosis.

Erythroblastosis is a disease in which irregularly shaped red blood cells appear in the blood of chickens, and the number of white blood cells also increases. Myeloblastosis is a disease in which the number of myelocytes in the bone marrow of a chicken increases. Lymphocytosis is a disease characterized by an increase in the number of lymphocytes in the blood of a bird.

The pathogenicity of VLV in humans has not been established. However, given that the virus affects chickens, it is possible that it could also be dangerous for people who work with these birds. Therefore, when working with chickens, it is necessary to take all precautions to avoid infection.

Chicken leukemia virus The leukemia virus is the virus of erythroblastic, myeloid leukemia, lymphocytic leukemia and fatty lymphogrofury. The disease is caused by many types of retro- and DNA-containing viruses. They differ in the type and level of tissue affected, according to the principle of cell differentiation, as well as in the methods of their penetration and the place of virus replication. This phenomenon occurs naturally and easily infects laboratory animals and birds, despite the availability of vaccines. Humans do not have this disease because we have different types of immune cells. Its pathogen stimulates the growth of more primitive precursors to the development of our entire body. As the virus multiplies, new cells replace healthy ones and force them to quickly exit into the outside world. They start making too many substances that are released into the plasma inside the cell, too quickly and too much. As a result, the cell “bursts” and is destroyed, it can no longer be saved.