Studies on infectious laryngotracheitis in chickens I. isolation and identification of infectious laryngotrachitis from some chicken flocks

Infectious laryngotracheitis virus [ILTV] was detected in chicken laryngeal and tracheal samples from outbreaks in 4 governorates in Egypt [Kalubia, Sharkia and Gharbia]. The viral antigen was detected by AGPT and FAT in 7 isolates, which subjected to physicochemical, biological characterization and pathological investigations. Isolated ILTV produced characteristic pock lesions on CAM of Embryonated Chicken Eggs [ECEs] and characteristic intranuclear inclusion bodies by direct FAT and histopathological examination in infected CAM and tracheal smears. The isolate S3 was the most pathogenic strain [by pathogenicity test of the isolates on ECEs and susceptible chickens] and had one more protein band than the other isolates as compared to the standard virus [by SDS-PAGE]. Ether sensitivity and thermo-stability of the isolated viruses at 56[degree sign]C indicated that the local isolate loss its infectivity to ECEs after treatment with ether for 24 hours and 15 min. at 56 [degree sign]C as well as the standard control ILTV. By cross neutralization, the results revealed that the isolated strains appeared to be related to the standard ILTV through neutralization index between each other. Infectivity titre of the virus was increased by passaging it in SPF eggs till reaching the highest titre by the 5th passage

Effect of pediococcus acidilactici and saccharomyces boulardii as probiotics on intestinal and caecal colonization of salmonella typhimurium and clostridium perfringens in broiler chickens

A significant reduction in intestinal and caecal colonization of Clostridium perfringens [C. perfringens] during 21 days post infection [PI] has occurred on using the probiotics Pediococcus acidilactici or Saccharomyces boiilardii. However; the former resulted in a higher reduction than the latter. The same results were also obtained with Saccharomyces boulardii at 7 and 14 days PI. Reduction in Salmonella typhimurium [S. typhinwrium] caecal colonization significantly happened during the entire period of the experiment [21 days] on using the two studied probiotics. Neither mortality nor disease lesions could be obtained in experimentally infected groups with the used doses of both S.typhimurium and C perfringens under the conditions of the experiment

Effect of synbiotic as immunomodulator on humoral and cell mediated immunity in ummuno-compromized broiler chickens

For assaying the immunomodulatory effect of the studied synbiotic "Enterococcus faecium and oligosaccharides" the humoral immune response, the cell mediated immune response, the major lymphoid organs / body weight indices and the histomorphological changes of the major lymoid organs were determined in non-immunosuppressed and immunosuppressed broiler chickens with cyclophosphamide [CP]. Statistical significant immunopotentiation in both humoral immunity and cell mediated immunity was obtained. Significant increases in bursa / body weight, spleen / body weight and thymus / body weight indices were also obtained. Histomorphological changes in bursa of Fabricius showed many activated lymphoblasts and reticular cell hyperplasia in the medula of the bursal follicles as compared with their controls. In conclusion; the use of the studied synbiotic can positively regulate or alter the immune response not only in normal broiler chickens but also in the immuno-compromised as well