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Comparative study on the haematology and persistence of velogenic Newcastle disease virus in chickens and guinea fowls

A. O. Igwe1, W.S. Ezema2*, J. I. Ibu3, J. I. Eze4 and J.O.A. Okoye2

1Department of Veterinary Pathology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, 2Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka; 3Virology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria; 4Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

 
Abstract

Six weeks old cockerels and guinea fowls were inoculated intramuscularly with a local Nigerian strain of velogenic Newcastle disease virus (VNDV). Thereafter a comparative study of virus isolation in the tissues, detection in cloacal swabs and haematological changes were studied.  The virus was isolated more frequently in the lung/trachea of the cockerels than guinea fowls. But the frequency of isolation from the bursa, thymus, spleen and brain in the two species was virtually the same. The highest concentration of the virus occurred in the bursa of the infected cockerels on days 3 and 6 post infection (PI). No virus was isolated from the two species after day 15 PI. Suspensions of the cloacal swabs showed heamagglutination (HA) activity from days 3 to 15 PI. The highest concentration of the virus was obtained on day 10 PI in both species.The infection produced no significant changes in the packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (HbC) and red blood cell (RBC) count in both species (p>0.05). But the infection in both species produced leucocytosis, heterophilia and lymphopenia (P<0.05). The above observations show that despite the fact that the infection is more severe in the cockerels; the pathogenesis of the infection in both species is very similar.

Keywords: velogenic Newcastle disease virus; haematology; guinea fowl; cockerel
 
To cite this article: Igwe AO, WS Ezema, JI Ibu, JI Eze and JOA Okoye, 2013. Comparative study on the haematology and persistence of velogenic newcastle disease virus in chickens and guinea fowls. Res. Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 3(5), 136-142.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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