Systematic Veterinary Virology

GENERAL ASPECTS

• Definition: Marek's disease is a lymphomatous and neuropathic disease of domestic fowl caused by a herpesvirus. It causes severe economical losses. It is considered as one of the important viral diseases of poultry.
• Synonyms: Neural lymphomatosis, fowl paralysis
• Classification

Baltimore group	Group I (ds DNA viruses)
Family	Herpesviridae
Subfamily	Alphaherpesvirinae
Genus	Mardivirus
Species	Gallid herpesvirus 2 (Marek’s disease virus)

• Morphology: Typical of herpesvirus mentioned above
• OIE Listing: List B disease
• Risk group : No human infection is associated
• Resistance: They are strictly cell associated virus and can be preserved at –60C. Infectivity is retained at pH range 5.5 to 8.4
• HA property: The virus does not cause agglutination of erythrocytes