Chicken anemia agent.

Chicken anemia agent (CAA) is a small, spherical, non-enveloped virus containing a circular single-stranded DNA genome. CAA remains unclassified and probably should be classified in a new virus family. The chicken is the only recognized natural host for CAA. CAA was initially isolated in Japan and the associated disease chicken infectious anemia described in 1979. The virus has a world-wide distribution and is common in intensive poultry raising areas. Chicken infectious anemia is not a new disease but a newly recognized disease. CAA is now thought to play a key role in several multiple etiology disease syndromes; hemorrhagic syndrome; aplastic anemia, gangrenous dermatitis, hemorrhagic anemia syndrome, hemorrhagic aplastic anemia syndrome, anemia dermatitis and blue wing disease. The pathogenesis of chicken infectious anemia is described. Vertical transmission appears to be more important than horizontal spread. A yellow fatty bone marrow is the most characteristic lesion and thymic atrophy is the most consistent finding in CAA infection. Thymic and bone marrow intranuclear inclusion bodies occur with infection but are of limited value diagnostically and are very transient and rarely seen. Five different disease-producing scenarios that lead to clinical CAA infection in young chickens are presented.