Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a highly contagious disease of young chickens caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), characterized by immunosuppression and mortality generally at 3 to 6 weeks of age. The disease was first discovered in Gumboro, Delaware in 1962. BDV is a double stranded RNA virus that has a bi-segmented genome and belongs to the genus Avibirnavirus of family Birnaviridae. There are two distinct serotypes of the virus, but only serotype 1 viruses cause disease in poultry. The virus is attracted to lymphoid cells and especially those of B-lymphocyte origins. Young birds at around two to eight weeks of age that have highly active bursa of Fabricius are more succeptible to disease. Birds over eight weeks are resistant to challenge and will not show clinical signs unless infected by highy virulent strains. Under natural conditions, the most common mode of infection appears to be via the oral route. From the gut, the virus is transported to other tissues by phagocytic cells, most likely resident macrophages. Although viral antigen has been detected in liver and kidney within the first few hours of infection, extensive viral replication takes place primarily in the bursa of Fabricius.
Transgenic Plant Vaccine: A Breakthrough in Immunopharmacotherapeutics: Awale MM, Mody SK, Dudhatra GB, Avinash Kumar, Patel HB, Modi CM, Kamani DR and Chauhan BN
Last date updated on April, 2024