Response of pheasants to live attenuated turkey rhinotracheitis vaccine

Abstract

The entire crop of 18,120 pheasants for the 2000 rearing season (May 8 to August 7) of one estate in the south of England was vaccinated at one day and five weeks of age with a turkey rhinotracheitis (TRT) vaccine. Blood samples and oropharyngeal swabs were taken from the second week's hatching every three weeks throughout the growing season to assess the response of the birds. There was evidence of seroconversion in samples collected three weeks after vaccination, with positive titres being maintained in 33 per cent or more of the population up to at least 22 weeks of age. Positive titres were also recorded in samples taken on December 6 from shot birds between 22 and 30 weeks of age. Positive titres to infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were identified in a high proportion of the poults as early as one day of age. Reverse-transcriptase PCR detected IBV-like virus and TRT of the same subtype as the TRT vaccine administered three weeks previously.

Demonstration ofOrnithobacterium rhinotrachealein pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) with pneumonia and airsacculitis

“…Both coronavirus and APMV-2 were demonstrated in the present cases, but there was very little evidence of exposure to aMPV and the positive ELISA reading in one bird may have been a response to vaccination. Conversely, no adverse reactions to TRT vaccination were reported in a trial in pheasants (Dalton et al, 2002).…”

“…However, outbreaks of respiratory disease in pheasants most commonly affect the upper respiratory tract (particularly the infra-orbital sinuses), and there are few descriptions of disease affecting the lower respiratory tract (lungs and air sacs), as described in this paper. This lower respiratory tract involvement accounts for the colloquial description of a ''200 yard cough'' from the 1990s (Dalton et al, 2002). Vaccination had been initiated on some estates since that time in an attempt to control respiratory disease.…”

“…Vaccination had been initiated on some estates since that time in an attempt to control respiratory disease. Although not licensed in pheasants and of unproven efficacy (Dalton et al, 2002), TRT vaccination had been administered several weeks previously in at least three of the cases, and an M. gallisepticum vaccine in at least one case. However, the cases of airsacculitis and pneumonia described in this report occurred despite the use of vaccination, and were characterized by the development of lower respiratory tract disease in addition to, or as a sequel to, sinusitis.…”

“…In some of these outbreaks the presenting signs have been sinusitis and facial swelling typical of M. gallisepticum infection, but in other outbreaks the clinical findings have included gasping respirations and in some cases a distinctive ''200 yard cough'' audible from a distance of 200 to 400 yards (183 to 366 m). Affected birds failed to respond to appropriate treatment for ''gapes'' (Syngamus trachea infection; syngamosis) (Dalton et al, 2002). The outbreaks have occurred in the autumn and winter months.…”