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A histopathological and immunohistochemical study of experimental infected turkeys with a virulent Newcastle disease virus

  • Bacterial and Fungal Pathogenesis - Research Paper
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Abstract

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious infection of many avian species, mainly chickens and turkeys, with a devastating impact on worldwide poultry production. This study was designed to examine the effect of virulent ND infection in turkey’s tissues and the tissue tropism of the virus. During the previous study period, poults were inoculated at 32 days of age with 105 EID50 virulent Newcastle disease virus. Three poults on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 14 postinoculations (PI) were selected from each group. They were euthanized by intravenous sodium pentobarbital injection. After macroscopic observation, to histopathological and immunohistochemical studies, the spleen, bursa, cecal tonsils, intestine, proventriculus, lung, kidney, and brain were sampled. Clinically, the infected turkeys exhibited loss of appetite, severe depression, down on hock joint, white to greenish (sometimes bloody) diarrhea, nervous signs, and mild respiratory problems. Out of 45 birds inoculated, 9 (20%) died. Histopathological effects in lymphoid tissues included necrosis and penetration of mononuclear cells on day 4 PI, and subsequent follicular lymphoid depletion on days 6 and 8 PI was observed. Based on the immunohistochemical test, on day 3 in cecal tonsils and spleen, and on day 8 PI, all of them were positive for virus antigen. In conclusion, the NDV circulating in Iranian chicken flocks has the potential to cause severe illness in commercial turkeys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

    Amin Nejati Saravi

  2. Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

    Ramezan Ali Jafari, Zahra Boroomand & Mansoor Mayahi

  3. Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

    Anahita Rezaie

Authors
  1. Amin Nejati Saravi
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  2. Ramezan Ali Jafari
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  3. Zahra Boroomand
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  4. Anahita Rezaie
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  5. Mansoor Mayahi
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Correspondence to Zahra Boroomand.

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We hereby declare all ethical standards have been respected in preparation of the submitted article, and approved by the committee of ethics in research at Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz.

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Saravi, A.N., Jafari, R.A., Boroomand, Z. et al. A histopathological and immunohistochemical study of experimental infected turkeys with a virulent Newcastle disease virus. Braz J Microbiol 52, 1677–1685 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-021-00623-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-021-00623-y

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