Infectious Bronchitis Virus in broiler chickens: Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Salhi, Omar; Messai, Chafik Redha; Nabi, Mustapha; Ouchene, Nassim; Khelifi Touhami, Nadjet Amina

doi:10.22092/ari.2025.368290.3501

Infectious Bronchitis Virus in broiler chickens: Seroprevalence and Associated Risk Factors

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

¹ University of Blida 1, Blida

² High National Veterinary School, Algiers

³ University of Sâad Dahlab Blida 1, BP 270, Blida

⁴ University ob Blida 1, Blida

10.22092/ari.2025.368290.3501

Abstract

Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) is one of the most important viral diseases that causing considerable economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. The present study was conducted, in Algeria, to investigate the seroprevalence, associated risk factors, clinical sings and lesions of infectious bronchitis viral (IBV) disease in broiler chicken. The study was conducted in 63 chicken farms of which three IBV vaccination protocols were used: in the first protocol: a single H120 dose was administered to the chicks at 7 days of age, in the second protocol: H120 at 3 days with an MA5 booster at 14 days, and in the third protocol: H120 at 3 days with MA5 and 4/91 boosters at 14 and 35 days, respectively. A total of 2142 sera were realized and analysed using ELISA test. The IBV was detected in 77.77% of broiler farms. The most common clinical signs observed were: wheezing, sneezing, coughing, nasal discharge for respiratory form and aqueous diarrhea, dehydration for nephropathogenic form. For lesions, there were: tracheitis, fibrin deposition for respiratory form, hemorrhagic nephritis, uric acid deposition at the renal, visceral and articular level for nephropathogenic form. The antibody titers were higher in winter season compared with autumn and spring season (p<0.01). Also, the antibody titers were higher, respectively, in chickens aged >30 days, in farms with a high density, in farms with bad hygiene level and in the first protocol of vaccination, in comparison with chickens aged ≤30 days (p<0.01), farms with a low density (p<0.001), farms with good hygiene level (p<0.01) and with the third protocol of vaccination (p<0.01). These findings showed a high seroprevalence of IBV in Algeria and highlight the importance of continuous surveillance and molecular characterization of persistent strains to optimize vaccination strategies against emerging variants.

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