Volume 15, Issue 2: 2025 - Article 201

Abstract
Avian leukosis virus (ALV) is a significant poultry pathogen that causes substantial economic losses worldwide because of its impact on production, growth rate and immune function of birds. This study investigated the molecular prevalence of avian leukosis virus (ALV) in commercial poultry farms with a history of production losses and mortality in Jos South Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State, Nigeria. Fifty-one pooled samples were collected from such farms and used for the study. Total viral DNA was extracted and screened for ALV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results showed an overall prevalence of 80.4% (41/51), with significant variations in prevalence rates among different bird types (broiler chickens – 100%; layer chickens – 81.6%; turkeys – 33.3%). The occurrence of ALV infections was significantly (p = 0.021) associated with the egg laying status of the birds. Given the absence of effective vaccines against the disease, these findings underscore the need for stringent biosecurity measures and alternative control strategies to mitigate the impact of ALV on poultry production.

Keywords: Avian leukosis virus (ALV); Poultry; Molecular prevalence; Jos, Nigeria; PCR; Poultry production.

How to cite this article:
Balami SB, Rabo ND, Mshelia SH, Iyanda SO, Ndahi JJ, John B, Enoch AA, Inuwa B, Adamu SG (2025). Molecular detection of avian leukosis virus in commercial poultry farms with history of production losses and mortality in Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 15(2): 1173 – 1180.

*Correspondence: E-mail:  stephenbitrusbalami@gmail.com      Phone: +2348038584950

Molecular detection of avian leukosis virus in commercial poultry farms with history of production losses and mortality in Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria
Stephen B. Balami ^{1, 2 *}, Nathaniel D. Rabo ³, Saraya H. Mshelia ¹, Samuel O. Iyanda ^{4, 5},   Juliana J. Ndahi ¹, Barka John ¹, Adebeyi A. Enoch ⁶, Bitrus Inuwa ⁶, Shuaibu G. Adamu <sup>7

1</sup> Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
² Postgraduate College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
³ Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Nigeria.
⁴ Department of Microbiology, Institute of Health Sciences, Dokuz Eylṻl University, Izmir Tṻrkiye.
⁵ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.
⁶ National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, Nigeria.
⁷Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Download .pdf copy here >>