Gross and Histopathological Changes in Chickens Infected with Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) in a Farm in Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria

This study was carried out in a poultry farm in Vom, Nigeria with an outbreak of infectious bursal disease (IBD). Before the onset of the disease on the 3rd of May, 2017, the farm had seven thousand, six hundred and eleven (7611) four weeks old vaccinated pullets. By the 8th of May, 2017, the farm had lost five thousand, seven hundred and ninety-six (5796) birds, 76.15% mortality. Post mortem examination was performed on thirty-two (32) freshly dead birds and samples of the bursae were collected and fixed in 10% buffered formalin and processed for histopathological examination, while some bursal samples were also collected into universal bottles and stored at -20˚C for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) antigen detection by Agar Gel Immuno Diffusion (AGID) test. Clinical signs, gross lesions and histopathological findings were pathognomonic for virulent IBD while all the samples were positive for IBDV antigen by AGID test as evidenced by lines of precipitation. These results showed that virulent field IBDV was responsible for the gross and histopathological changes in the lymphoid cells of the bursae of Fabricius and tissues of the chickens.