This study was designed to detect reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) as a contaminant in fowl pox vaccines. A total of 30 fowl pox vaccine samples wer

Marek's disease is a lymphoproliferative disease causing a serious threat in poultry production. Field strains of Marek's disease virus (MDVs) are continuously re-emerging, causing great economical losses to the poultry industry worldwide in spite of the intensive vaccination and restrictive management policy used. Histopathological and molecular characterizations of MDVs are essential for monitoring the changes of viruses and evaluating the effectiveness of existing vaccines. During 2016, 190 visceral tumour tissues representing 30 vaccinated chicken flocks from the Gifu prefecture, Japan, were analysed. A pathological examination revealed the presence of lymphoproliferative lesions in the visceral organs. Polymerase chain reaction screening of tissue specimens using specific primers for avian leucosis virus, reticuloendotheliosis virus, and MDV was positive only for MDV. The polymerase chain reaction products of meq, pp38, virus-induced IL-8 homology, and glycoprotein MDV genes were sequenced and used for homology, phylogenetic, and similarity level analysis with the published reference of MDVs in the database. The results revealed high similarity between the field isolates, vv and vv+ strains of MDV from the USA and China. Several point mutations in the nucleotide sequence of the field isolates and their deduced amino acid sequences were detected in those genes. The present molecular analyses indicated that nucleotide and amino acid changes could be valuable criteria for differentiation and determination of the pathogenicity and oncogenicity of MDVs according to the Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory pathotyping in vivo studies. Furthermore, the results suggest that development of a new vaccine must be considered to overcome this devastating avian oncogenic viral disease.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of an anticoccidial vaccine and the anticoccidial activity of Aloe vera in broiler chickens infected with Eimeria tenella (E. tenella). A total of 225 healthy, sexless, one-day-old broiler chicks (avian48) from a commercial broiler company were randomized into nine experimental groups of 25 chicks. The groups were as follows: Group 1 (control, vaccinated, non-infected), Group 2 (vaccinated and infected with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts), Group 3 (vaccinated, infected with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts, and treated with Aloe vera), Group 4 (infected with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts and treated with Aloe vera), Group 5 (positive control, infected with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts), Group 6 (challenged with 5 × 104 sporulated oocysts and then treated with amprolium), Group 7 (treated with amprolium), Group 8 (blank control negative group), and Group 9 (treated with Aloe vera gel).Various parameters were evaluated, including clinical signs, growth performance, oocyst shedding, hematological and immunological parameters, and pathological lesion scoring. The results demonstrated that Aloe vera improved growth performance, reduced oocyst shedding, and decreased caecal lesion scores in E. Tenella-infected broiler chicks. The use of Aloe vera in combination with either amprolium or anticoccidial vaccines provided a potential solution to the issues of drug resistance and drug residues.In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights regarding the control of coccidiosis in broilers. Supplementing the chicken diet with Aloe vera had beneficial effects on the pathogenicity and infectivity of E. tenella, making it a cost-effective alternative as an herbal extract with no adverse side effects for coccidiosis control. These findings suggest that Aloe vera can be considered a potential candidate for inclusion in broiler diets for effective coccidiosis control.

The present study attempts to analyze the effects of Aloe vera aqueous extract on performance, hematological parameters and histological examination in broiler chicks. Fifty, one-day old, Avian 48 unsexed commercial broiler chickens were used on a completely randomized design in 2 groups each consisting of 25 broilers. The groups included the control group (basal diet) and the other group with basal diet and Aloe vera gel supplemented in the drinking water. The results obtained regarding performance of the broilers showed that Aloe vera gel group brought higher body weight gain and feed efficiency compared to the control group; however, significant difference was observed in mean body weight between the groups supplemented by Aloe vera gel and the control group (P < 0.05) and Aloe vera was better. Aloe vera resulted in the better hemoglobin concentration and red blood cells counts which were even significantly higher than the control group. The Aloe vera gel group had the largest cecal villus height and the greatest villus height to crypt depth ratio compared to the control group. Supplementation of Aloe vera extract in the water of chicks enhanced the gut health and gut development. Aloe vera, as an additive to broiler chicken feed, has a great potential for improving growth performance, hematological parameters, intestinal health, and immune system response.

The susceptibility of Japanese quail to infection with Newcastle disease (ND) virus, was evaluated throughout experimental study. A total of 25quails (36 days old) and 25 chickens (28 day old) were divided into 4 groups. G1 (non-vaccinated, non-challenged quail), G2 (non-vaccinated challenged quail by genotype VIId), G3 (non-vaccinated, non-challenged chickens), and G4 (non-vaccinated challenged chickens by genotype VIId). Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay for NDV was conducted pre and post-challenge. Clinical signs, gross and histopathological examinations were performed and lesions were recorded. NDV genotypeVIId (NDV-VIId) results in 33% mortality in quails to 100% mortality in chickens. From that study, we found that quails are resist to NDV-VIId infection, however this virus is a highly virulent velogenic NDV strain according to intracerebral pathogenicity index test (ICPT), and causing highly contagious disease in poultry. ND resulted in respiratory and nervous signs in chickens and quails with a higher severity of lesions scores in chickens. Non suppurative encephalitis, trachitis pneumonia and enteritis were the main histopathological features that were recorded in infected birds.