January 8, 2007

Ohio State Centre develops test for infectious bursal disease

The Ohio State University Centre for Diagnostic Assays has announced the development of a first-of-its-kind test for the detection of very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV), a highly contagious disease of poultry.

Animal Health Scientist, Daral Jackwood, has developed a validated real-time RT-PCR (patent pending) for the rapid detection of nucleotide sequences that are unique to very virulent Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (vvIBDV) strains affecting the poultry industry.

This new assay distinguishes vvIBDV strains from non-vvIBDV classic and variant strains.

IBDV is a highly contagious poultry disease that is causing huge losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Besides, it rapidly produces mutated viruses that are resistant to vaccines. The vvIBDV strain causes unusually high morbidity and mortality.

Until now, no validated rapid assay for the detection of all known vvIBDV strains existed, said Jackwood, who heads Ohio University's CDA. This assay would help in monitoring and controlling the disease in countries with vvIBDV.  Incidentally, it would be a first line of defence needed to prevent vvIBDV from entering domestic poultry operations in countries without the virus.

Beginning with European outbreaks in the mid-1980s, vvIBDV has spread to chicken flocks on nearly every continent of the world including Europe, Asia, and South and Central America.