Avian encephalomyelitis is a disease of chicks caused by a picornavirus and characterized by muscle tremors, blindness, incoordination of movements, grayish spots in muscles of gizzard and proventriculus and proliferation of microglial cells in brain.
- It is also known as Epidemic tremors and occurs as an egg borne disease.
- Ingestion of contaminated feed and water. It enters in duodenal mucosa and causes viraemia.
- Virus settles in pancreas, liver, heart, kidneys, muscle, brain and spleen.
- Virus multiplies in perkinje cells and cerebellum and produces lesions.
- Characteristic symptoms are tremors of muscles of head and neck, paralysis leading to torticollis, opacity leading to blindness and morality 10-50%.
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