Effect of ribavirin on experimentally induced infectious bronchitis in broiler chicks
2024
Roza Namiq | Hiewa Dyary
Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes infectious bronchitis (IB), a highly contagious disease affecting the respiratory, reproductive, and renal systems in chickens. There is no approved drug, and vaccination often fails to protect due to high mutation and recombination rates. This study evaluated the effect of ribavirin on broilers' experimental IB. Diseased broilers with IB were confirmed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The IBV was passed in embryonated chicken eggs three times to propagate the virus. The allantoic fluid (AF) from the third viral passage was used to infect broiler chicks. Fifty-four unvaccinated chicks, 17- days -old each, were used to evaluate the antiviral effect of ribavirin. The chicks were divided into infected (36 chicks) and noninfected (18 chicks) groups. The 36 chicks were divided into four equal groups, and the remaining 18 birds were divided into two groups and kept in a separate facility. When the birds reached 17 days of age, 36 birds were infected with IBV by intranasal administration of 0.2 mL AF. The same day the chicks were infected with IBV, ribavirin treatment began and was repeated twice daily for seven days. On the fifth day of infection, we collected tracheal swab samples from the birds for PCR testing, which confirmed the presence of the IBV virus in all of them. However, we observed no mortality. Our experimental data, including PCR test results, chicks' body weight, temperature, feeding, water consumption, clinical signs, postmortem, and histopathological examinations, showed that ribavirin wasineffective against IBV.
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