Marek's Disease in the Pet Chicken

摘要

Marek's disease, first described in 1907, has been extensively documented in poultry science literature. Vaccination programs, while not 100% effective, have kept commercial losses generally low. The backyard poultry raiser who does not have access tovaccines and the pet owner whose birds live past the expected protection of a single dose vaccine are at increased risk of this infection. Symptoms are diverse but fairly specific and can be helpful for antemortem diagnosis. Morbidity is variable but mortality is high. No treatment is currently available.