No abstract

To evaluate the prevalence of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) type 4/91 in Iran, tracheal swabs from 77 broiler flocks in 16 provinces were collected at the slaughterhouse. Swabs were subjected to RNA extraction and tested by RT-PCR, followed by a type-specific nested PCR. The viral RNA was detected in 33 samples (42.8%) from different provinces. The results indicate a relatively high prevalence of IBV type 4/91 in Iran and necessitate revising the vaccination programme against this disease.

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Newcastle disease (ND) is an acute and highly contagious disease affecting many domestic and wild species of birds. Its effects are most notable in domestic poultry due to their high susceptibility and the potential for severe impacts of an epizootic on the poultry industry. In this study, partial sequences of fusion genes of three Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolates collected during 2013-14 outbreaks from the vaccinated commercial broiler chicken farms with high mortality around Ahvaz city (Southwest of Iran) were characterized. All three isolates showed the amino acid sequence 112RRQKRF117 at the C-terminus of the F2 protein and phenylalanine at the N-terminus of the F1 protein residue 117. These amino acid sequences were identical to a known virulent motif. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Iranian ND isolates in this study are closely related to the genotype VIId of class II NDV strains. Our results specified that there are velogenic NDV circulating in Ahvaz commercial broiler flocks and causing outbreaks in poultry industry.

Infectious Bronchitis (IB) is an acute, highly contagious disease associated with respiratory signs in young chickens and reduced egg production and quality in layers. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify the infectious bronchitis virus in broiler flocks with respiratory diseases in four provinces of Iran. The specimens from forty IB suspected flocks from different regions of Isfahan, East Azerbaijan, Golestan, and Khuzestan provinces were collected, and the trachea, lung, and cecal tonsils were sampled. The samples were inoculated into 9-to 11-day-old embryonated chicken eggs. After collecting the allantoic fluid, RT-PCR was carried out to detect IB viruses. The results showed that IBVs were isolated from 30% of the flocks in these four provinces. The positive samples, according to a partial S1 gene sequence, were more investigated. Comparing nucleotide and amino acid sequences showed that the four isolates had the most similarity to the Pakistani 793/B strain (GI-13 lineage). The three isolates had the most considerable similarity in amino acid and nucleotide sequences to Iraqi and Iranian QX-like viruses (GI-19 lineage). Two isolates had 96 to 98% resemblance to Iranian variant-2 (GI-23 lineage) isolates. One isolate was found to belong to the Massachusetts serotype (GI-1 lineage) having 100% similarity in its amino acid sequence to the Massachusetts serotypes in GenBank. The phylogenetic relationship of the isolates shows complexity and diversity concerning different sequences and geographical regions.

Papahn, A.A., Naddaf, H., Rezakhani, A. and Mayahi, M. 2006

Background:Wild aquatic birds are considered as reservoir hosts for Newcastle disease viruses (NDVs) and may act as vectors for transferring these viruses to poultry, causing outbreaks of disease. Recent studies suggested that the velogenic viruses arise from avirulent strains originating from wild birds. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether the aquatic birds of Khozestan province were infected with NDV. Materials and Methods: In winter, 24 Muscovey ducks from Shoshtar, 20 geese from Dezfoul and 51 geese from Khorramshahr (Aquatic birds of Khozestan province) were bled, and birds' sera were collected and used in HI assay and antibody titer to NDV were determined. Beta procedure of hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay was performed in U-bottomed 96-well microtiter plates with 0.5% chicken erythrocytes.Results: All serum samples tested for antibodies against hemagglutinin by HI assay had positive results, and all of these birds had high levels of antibody titer to the NDV. Conclusion:The results in the present study clearly showed that the aquatic birds of Khozestan province population in Iran carries NDVs, and may act as one of the important reservoirs for this virus. So it was concluded that detection and elimination of these birds can be a valuable tool for the control of Newcastle Disease outbreaks.

Statistically significant differences in total protein, and beta and gamma globulin concentrations in all infected pigeons suggest that serum protein electrophoresis represents a nonspecific but valuable indicator for tuberculosis in pigeons.