Veterinary Archives, Vol. 79 No. 2, 2009.
Original scientific paper
Serological evidence of mixed infections with avian influenza and Newcastle disease in village chickens in Jigawa State, Nigeria
Aliyu Mohammed Wakawa
; Department of Veterinary Surgery and Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Paul Ayuba Abdu
; Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Jarlath Uduado Umoh
; Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Sa’idu Lawal
; Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
Rabiu Babura Miko
; Veterinary Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Jigawa State, Nigeria
Abstract
A serological survey for antibodies against avian influenza (AI) and Newcastle disease (ND) viruses in 250 village chickens confirmed to be suffering from highly pathogenic avian infl uenza (HPAI) was carried out in Jigawa State, Nigeria. The chickens had no history of vaccination against the two diseases. Sera were tested by the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) test for the presence of antibodies against the two virus antigens. Antibody prevalence against the viruses was noted as follows: AI (31.6%) and ND (38.8%), with mean antibody titres of 0.32 ± 0.1 Log2 and 0.39 ± 0.2 Log2, respectively. The finding that 70.4% of the sera examined contained HI antibodies to both virus antigens indicates considerable combined activities of the two viruses among the village chickens during the HPAI outbreaks. It is suggested that this group of scavenging birds may play significant roles in the transmission of these two viruses to commercial poultry farms. The introduction and sustenance of routine vaccination of scavenging village poultry against ND is highly recommended. Nation-wide active surveillance of AI should also be conducted to define the true status of the disease in poultry in Nigeria.
Keywords
antibodies; avian influenza; Newcastle disease; village chickens
Hrčak ID:
37321
URI
Publication date:
20.4.2009.
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