Confused by lab results

[KRack]

I'm blowing up BYC today.

I was looking over lab results I got back in March, when one of my chickens got "confirmed" Marek's disease. I'm not saying she didn't have it, I'm just wondering if anything else can cause lymphoma that led to her diagnosis?

This is the diagnosis comment - "Marek's Disease is confirmed via histopathology based on the organ distribution of the lymphoma."

The hen did have Marek's symptoms, and I've been assuming that my flock has Marek's ever since we culled her. I'm just wondering if it could have been anything else since I don't see any PCR test or some other type of test confirming Marek's? The rest of my flock is vaccinated and has been fine. Maybe no one knows the answer to this, but everyone here has been super helpful, so I thought I'd ask just in case!

 

[Hummerlover]

I'm blowing up BYC today.

I was looking over lab results I got back in March, when one of my chickens got "confirmed" Marek's disease. I'm not saying she didn't have it, I'm just wondering if anything else can cause lymphoma that led to her diagnosis?

This is the diagnosis comment - "Marek's Disease is confirmed via histopathology based on the organ distribution of the lymphoma."

The hen did have Marek's symptoms, and I've been assuming that my flock has Marek's ever since we culled her. I'm just wondering if it could have been anything else since I don't see any PCR test or some other type of test confirming Marek's? The rest of my flock is vaccinated and has been fine. Maybe no one knows the answer to this, but everyone here has been super helpful, so I thought I'd ask just in case!

 

[Hummerlover]

Research indicates a PCR assay is needed to confirm and if it is Mercks even the vaccinated chickens can be carriers and shedders of the virus in your coop. That being said some recommend isolating or euthanizing the infected hen. And probably not introducing any new chics to the coop. I’m not an expert just an avid researcher.

 

[KRack]

Research indicates a PCR assay is needed to confirm and if it is Mercks even the vaccinated chickens can be carriers and shedders of the virus in your coop. That being said some recommend isolating or euthanizing the infected hen. And probably not introducing any new chics to the coop. I’m not an expert just an avid researcher.

Thank you! I would have liked more of a confirmation than just the presence of lymphoma. From my understanding, that could have been caused from a few things, but most commonly Marek's or Lymphoid Leukosis.

The chicken was put down in February. The rest of my chickens have been fine. If it was Lmphoid Leukosis instead of Marek's, I think I could add to my flock now.

I have a hen sitting on a clutch of eggs. I don't like that the vaccine is a leaky vaccine, and I'm inclined to try to breed a more resistant flock (unvaccinated) and see how it goes. I just wanted to know if this lab report was really CONFIRMING Marek's or just taking a best guess. Not that I take it lightly either way, I just didn't understand it wholly.