Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq

Background: In poultry, despite intense vaccination programs for prevention of Newcastle disease (ND), the ND infection still affects, causing high mortality in most vaccinated flocks. Aim: This study aimed to determine whether the genetic material of the ND virus has changed and has become inco...

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Main Authors: Hakeem Jawad Kadhim, Abbas Kamil Shlaga, Safaa Hussein Ali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Tripoli University 2024-11-01
Series:Open Veterinary Journal
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Online Access:https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/?mno=214085
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author Hakeem Jawad Kadhim
Abbas Kamil Shlaga
Safaa Hussein Ali
author_facet Hakeem Jawad Kadhim
Abbas Kamil Shlaga
Safaa Hussein Ali
author_sort Hakeem Jawad Kadhim
collection DOAJ
description Background: In poultry, despite intense vaccination programs for prevention of Newcastle disease (ND), the ND infection still affects, causing high mortality in most vaccinated flocks. Aim: This study aimed to determine whether the genetic material of the ND virus has changed and has become incompatible with the vaccines used in Iraq. Methods: Real-time PCR was used to analyze genetic variation in the fusion (F) and haemaggluatination neuraminidase (HN) genes, as well as mRNA expression changes in inflammatory biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6, interleukin-1 beta (IL-6, IL-1β), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ). Results: Although the La Sota vaccine was initially used to vaccinate broiler flocks against NDV, we noticed a variety of respiratory, digestive, and nervous signs in many flocks throughout the Thi-Qar Province of Iraq. Furthermore, the infected birds showed typical postmortem lesions, such as mottled spleen, proventricular hemorrhages, and cecal tonsil hemorrhages. Blood, liver, and tracheal swabs were collected from infected and healthy broilers aged 3-5 weeks old. NDV infection was initially confirmed using the NDV antigen rapid test, which showed positive results in 52 of the 60 suspected samples (86.66%). However, mean antibody levels in ND-infected birds were significantly lower than those in healthy birds. In contrast, mRNA levels of bio-inflammatory genes were increased, indicating that the birds were infected with the virus and that there was inflammation in the body. To confirm NDV infection, the F and HN genes were sequenced. F gene alignment against NCBI nucleotide sequence data showed that the isolate had 94.68% similarity with the avian orthoavulavirus1 isolate Ph/IR/AMMM116/2018 fusion protein gene. While HN gene alignment showed 95.36% similarity with the NDV strain La Sota hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene. Conclusion: ND infection resulted in a decrease in antibody titers and an increase in the expression of inflammatory biomarkers genes. The findings suggested that alterations in the nucleic acids of the NDV strains could be the main cause of potential outbreaks in Iraq, and that vaccines appeared to be incompatible with the circulating strain. Thus, it is recommended that, besides the rapid detection test, molecular methods should always be considered in endemic areas or outbreak situations. [Open Vet J 2024; 14(11.000): 2817-2826]
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spelling doaj-art-85f84ba27bd946a6acccd49e91cdeeb12024-12-13T19:28:45ZengTripoli UniversityOpen Veterinary Journal2226-44852218-60502024-11-0114112817282610.5455/OVJ.2024.v14.i11.10214085Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of IraqHakeem Jawad Kadhim0Abbas Kamil Shlaga1Safaa Hussein Ali2Shatrah University, Shatrah, Thi-Qar, Iraq Shatrah University, Shatrah, Thi-Qar, Iraq Shatrah University, Shatrah, Thi-Qar, IraqBackground: In poultry, despite intense vaccination programs for prevention of Newcastle disease (ND), the ND infection still affects, causing high mortality in most vaccinated flocks. Aim: This study aimed to determine whether the genetic material of the ND virus has changed and has become incompatible with the vaccines used in Iraq. Methods: Real-time PCR was used to analyze genetic variation in the fusion (F) and haemaggluatination neuraminidase (HN) genes, as well as mRNA expression changes in inflammatory biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6, interleukin-1 beta (IL-6, IL-1β), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ). Results: Although the La Sota vaccine was initially used to vaccinate broiler flocks against NDV, we noticed a variety of respiratory, digestive, and nervous signs in many flocks throughout the Thi-Qar Province of Iraq. Furthermore, the infected birds showed typical postmortem lesions, such as mottled spleen, proventricular hemorrhages, and cecal tonsil hemorrhages. Blood, liver, and tracheal swabs were collected from infected and healthy broilers aged 3-5 weeks old. NDV infection was initially confirmed using the NDV antigen rapid test, which showed positive results in 52 of the 60 suspected samples (86.66%). However, mean antibody levels in ND-infected birds were significantly lower than those in healthy birds. In contrast, mRNA levels of bio-inflammatory genes were increased, indicating that the birds were infected with the virus and that there was inflammation in the body. To confirm NDV infection, the F and HN genes were sequenced. F gene alignment against NCBI nucleotide sequence data showed that the isolate had 94.68% similarity with the avian orthoavulavirus1 isolate Ph/IR/AMMM116/2018 fusion protein gene. While HN gene alignment showed 95.36% similarity with the NDV strain La Sota hemagglutinin-neuraminidase gene. Conclusion: ND infection resulted in a decrease in antibody titers and an increase in the expression of inflammatory biomarkers genes. The findings suggested that alterations in the nucleic acids of the NDV strains could be the main cause of potential outbreaks in Iraq, and that vaccines appeared to be incompatible with the circulating strain. Thus, it is recommended that, besides the rapid detection test, molecular methods should always be considered in endemic areas or outbreak situations. [Open Vet J 2024; 14(11.000): 2817-2826]https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/?mno=214085fusion genehaemaggluatinationneuraminidaseinflammatory biomarkersrt-pcr
spellingShingle Hakeem Jawad Kadhim
Abbas Kamil Shlaga
Safaa Hussein Ali
Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq
Open Veterinary Journal
fusion gene
haemaggluatination
neuraminidase
inflammatory biomarkers
rt-pcr
title Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq
title_full Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq
title_fullStr Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq
title_full_unstemmed Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq
title_short Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq
title_sort clinical and molecular identification of newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in thi qar province of iraq
topic fusion gene
haemaggluatination
neuraminidase
inflammatory biomarkers
rt-pcr
url https://www.openveterinaryjournal.com/?mno=214085
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AT safaahusseinali clinicalandmolecularidentificationofnewcastlediseasevirusinnaturallyinfectedchicksinthiqarprovinceofiraq