Seroprevalence of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in broiler breeders in India

Abstract

Respiratory infections in poultry are the major group of diseases which cause significant economic losses to poultry industry. Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale are the bacteria which cause Ornithobacteriosis (ORT) to the avian species. This bacterial infection causes respiratory symptoms and high mortality among chickens. Broilers and particularly breeders species are affected the most in farms in India and other countries worldwide. It is important to prevent the infection with proper biosecurity measures and vaccinations. But, still, the disease is prevalent in many parts of the world. In the present study, serum samples from seven states of India were collected and studied for the presence of antibodies against ORT. 74.37% samples were found positive for ORT infection. Age and season wise study was also conducted to investigate the effect of these parameters on the occurrence of the disease. The samples were divided into four age-wise groups i.e., 17-30, 31-40, 41-50 and 51-62 weeks. Samples of 41-50 weeks age showed highest positive results (87.50%) compared to other ages. Samples were divided into season-wise groups i.e., Winter, Summer, and Monsoon. Birds were found highest positive for ORT infection in monsoon (88.31%) and lowest in winter (62.20%). ORT was found highly prevalent in India, proper biosecurity measures and vaccination programs are required to prevent the spread of disease.