NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS IN THE INTESTINAL CONTENTS OF BROILERS AND LAYERS

S. Ullah, M. Ashfaque, S.U. Rahman, M. Akhtar and A. Rehman

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract

    Two hundred intestines pieces (100 each of broilers and layers) of about 8 cm length were collected from the poultry sale shops in Faisalabad city. These pieces were opened, scratched and vigorously shaken into  sterilized normal saline, the suspension was centrifuged and supernatants were subjected to spot haemagglutination with 2% chicken RBC’s. Out of 200 samples, 95% samples of layers and 75% of the broilers showed positive spot haemagglutination. Micro haemagglutination inhibition with Newcastle disease (ND) antiserum revealed, 85 and 66 samples positive in layers and broilers respectively. A total of 10% samples of the layers and 9% of the broilers were not inhibited by ND antiserum suggesting other HA viruses.  A total of 20 samples were used to isolate the virus in embryonated eggs (allantoic route). These isolates were confirmed as NDV by haemagglutination inhibition test. Five isolates were tested for intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) in day old chicks. The ICPI values obtained were 0.28, 0.31, 0.37, 0.38 and 0.46. The isolates were found to be lentogenic.