EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON TISSUE TROPISM AND DISSEMINATION OF H9N2 AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS AND ORNITHOBACTERIUM RHINOTRACHEALE CO-INFECTION IN SPF CHICKENS

Authors: A. Azizpour, H. Goudarzi, S. Charkhkar, R. Momayez, M. H. Hablolvarid
Journal: Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (JAPS)
ISSN: 1018-7081 (Print), 2309-8694 (Online)
Volume: 24  Issue: 6  Pages: 1655-1662
Year: 2014
DOI: NA
URL: https://doi.org/NA
Publisher: Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum

Abstract:
<p>Forty-two, one<span dir="rtl">&nbsp;</span><span dir="rtl">-</span>day<span dir="rtl">&nbsp;</span><span dir="rtl">-</span>old specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens were randomly divided into two groups.&nbsp; On 21st day of study, experimental group was infected intraocularly with 1&times;106 EID50 of H9N2 and intratracheally with 1<span dir="rtl">&nbsp;</span><span dir="rtl">&times;</span><span dir="ltr">&nbsp;</span>1010 CFU of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT). Control group was inoculated with sterile PBS intraocularly. The samples from various tissues were collected on<strong>&nbsp;</strong>days 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16<strong>&nbsp;</strong>post-inoculation (PI). Experimental group chickens exhibited more severe respiratory signs, depression, anorexia and 15% mortality. The ORT was isolated in the trachea from days 2&ndash;4 PI and in the lungs on day 4 PI. The H9N2 virus was detected in the lungs and trachea from days 2&ndash;4 PI. The virus was also detected in the bursa of fabricius on days 2 and 6 PI and in thymus and liver on day 2 PI. The virus was found only on day 8 PI in kidneys. The virus detection from organs was reduced with increasing antibody titer on day 8 PI. The results of this study indicates that concurrent infection with H9N2 virus and ORT can exacerbate virulence and lesions of H9N2.</p>

Keywords: H9N2 influenza virus, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, Co-infection, Tissue tropism, SPF chickens