Abstract   

A study was carried out on 70100 broiler chickens kept at low altitude (184 meters). Of these, 288 were suffering from spontaneously occurring ascites syndrome. Clinical picture of the syndrome and gross and histological changes were noted. General signs of ascitic broilers were non specific. Gross lesions included accumulation of straw yellow coloured fluid in the abdominal cavity, hydropericardium and right venricular dilation, induration and fibrosis of the liver, swollen and haemorrhagic kidneys, haemorrhagic intestine along with oedematous and congested lungs. Histopathologically, liver showed congestion and necrosis with proliferation of connective tissue in sinusoidal spaces along with infiltration of heterophils and mononuclear cells. Vacuolar degeneration and lymphocytic aggregation of renal tubules, ectopic cartilaginous masses in the lung lobules, congestion of alveoli and proliferation of connective tissue in interlobular septa with infiltration of inflammatory cells were the main features observed in ascitic broilers.