Abstract
Serum samples of 52 flocks from poultry farms in Nigeria were tested for the presence of Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) antibodies using a commercial ELISA kit. Samples were collected between 1999 and 2004 from 1 to 7 days old baby chicks from 9 different breeders, 11 broiler, 19 pullet, 3 layer, 8 broiler breeder, 1 pullet breeder and 1 cockerel flocks. Forty seven out of the fifty two tested flocks (90%) were positive for IBV antibodies. All flocks of more than eight weeks of age had a seroprevalence above 94%. Seroprevalence of maternally derived antibodies in baby chicks ranged from 67 to 100%. The older chickens became infected as soon as they became susceptible after waning of maternal antibodies, suggesting an internal source of infection on most farms. This is the first seroprevalence study of IBV in West-Africa. Further studies are necessary to assess economic losses due to IBV and the cost-benefit of countermeasures
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Avian Corona- and Pneumovirus Infections, 20-23 june 2004, Rauischholzhausen, Germany |
| Editors | U. Heffels-Redmann, Kaleta E.f. |
| Place of Publication | Wettenberg |
| Publisher | VVB Laufersweiler |
| Pages | 87-92 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783896874900 |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Jun 2004 |