Marek's Disease in Poultry: Brief Introduction

Chickens are the main natural host for Marek's disease virus (MDV), a mostly cell-associated but mainly transmitted alpha herpesvirus with lymphotropic properties of gamma herpesviruses. Turkeys can be artificially infected as well as naturally infected quail. However, major clinical outbreaks of Marek's disease in commercial turkey flocks, with mortality from tumors reaching 40%–80% between 8 and 17 weeks of age, were reported in France, Israel, and Germany. One of the most common avian illnesses, Marek's disease has been found in flocks of chickens all around the world.