Table 1.
Detection of IAV NP antigen in organs by immunohistochemistry.
| Species and dose administered to donor (D0) birds | Chickens 8 log10 EID50 | Turkeys 8 log10 EID50 | Turkeys 6 log10 EID50 | Turkeys 4 log10 EID50 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directly-infected or contact | D0 | D0 | R1 | R1 | D0 | D0 | R1 | R1 | R1 | R2 | R2 | R2 | D0 | D0 | R2 | R2 | R2 | D0 | D0 |
| Dpi (dpc): all culled (apparently healthy), except E and FD as indicated | 4 | 4 | 7 (6) | 7 (6) | 4 | 4 | 7 (6) | 7 (6) | 7 (6) FD | 8 (4) FD | 11 (7) FD | 12 (8) FD | 4 | 4 | 11 (7) E | 8 (4) FD | 10 (6) E | 4 | 4 |
| Bird ID #: | 1 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 13 | 15 | 141 | 143 | 144 | 25 | 28 |
| L235Q polymorphism in HA gene | Q235 | L235 | ND | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | L235 | L235 | Q235 | Q235 | Q235 | ND | ND |
| Organs | |||||||||||||||||||
| Nasal cavity (turbinates) ** | − | + | − | − | +++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | + | − | +++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | +++ | − | ++ |
| Airways** | − | − | − | − | + | ++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | +++ | +++ | − | +++ | − | ++ | +++ | ++ | − | − |
| Lung** | − | − | − | − | ++ | +++ | ++ | + | ++ | ++ | + | + | +++ | − | + | +++ | ++ | − | − |
| Air Sacs** | − | − | − | − | +++ | +++ | ++ | ++ | +++ | +++ | − | + | +++ | − | − | +++ | +++ | − | − |
| Proventriculus** | − | − | − | − | ++ | ++ | − | N/a | ++ | − | − | − | − | − | +++ | − | − | − | − |
| Caecal Tonsil** | + | − | − | − | + | + | − | + | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| Intestine (enterocytes) | − | − | − | − | ++ | ++ | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| Pancreas** | − | − | − | − | ++++ | ++++ | ++++ | ++++ | ++++ | ++++ | ++++ | +++ | − | − | ++++ | ++++ | ++++ | − | − |
| Spleen** | − | − | − | N/a | +++ | +++ | − | − | + | − | N/a | − | − | − | + | N/a | ++ | − | − |
| Bursa** | − | − | − | − | + | + | ++ | ++ | − | ++ | +++ | ++ | − | − | +++ | − | ++ | − | − |
| Thymus* | − | − | − | − | + | + | − | − | + | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| Skin* | − | − | − | − | + | + | + | + | ++ | − | − | − | − | − | − | + | − | − | − |
| Feather follicles* | − | − | − | − | + | + | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| Heart** | − | − | − | − | +++ | ++ | ++ | − | +++ | + | + | − | − | − | + | + | ++ | − | − |
| Skeletal muscle* | − | − | − | − | ++ | ++ | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | − | + | − | − |
| Brain* | − | − | − | − | + | + | − | − | + | − | − | − | − | − | + | − | − | − | − |
| Kidney** | − | − | − | − | ++ | ++ | +++ | − | ++ | +++ | +++ | +++ | − | − | ++ | +++ | +++ | − | − |
| Liver** | − | − | − | − | ++ | ++ | ++ | − | ++ | + | − | − | − | − | − | + | − | − | |
| Gonads* | − | − | − | − | + | + | − | ++ | + | − | N/a | − | − | − | − | +++ | +++ | N/a | N/a |
Four experimental groups indicated in the header, divided by D0 species and direct dose of H7N9wt (log10 EID50). E = euthanised, FD = found dead. L235Q polymorphisms indicated for individual birds at time of cull or death. * Detected only in endothelial cells; ** Detected in endothelial and parenchymal cells. N/a: not available; ND not done. Additional infected R2 turkeys # 40 and # 142 (see Results) survived to be culled at the end of the study (11 dpc). No detectable IAV-specific NP antigen was detected in these two survivors by IHC.