Study on some clinical symptoms and pathological characteristics of chickens suffering from infectious bronchitis (IB)

Abstract

Results of investigation and monitoring of 41,889 chickens showed that there were 7,391 chickens suffered from infectious bronchitis (IB) with the main symptoms, included: fever, lethargy, reduced or no appetite (94.14%); beak flaking, sneezing (81.17%); difficulty breathing, wheezing, open mouth for breathing (81.77%), tracheal whistling sounds (75.40%). Other symptoms such as: runny nose, watery eyes, conjunctivitis of the eyes and nose, head swelling, diarrhea, watery stools (19.19 % - 54.80%).
From the above clinical manifestations, we conducted chicken autopsy to check lesions in the respiratory tract, kidneys, ureters, and confirmed: tracheal hemorrhage, mucus (93.10%); pulmonary congestion and hemorrhage, hematoma, pus (82.76%); air sac inflammation, cloudy
air sacs (63.79%); conjunctivitis (57.76%); sinusitis (50.86%); kidney swelling and bleeding (46.55%); and had urate accumulation in the ureters (30.17%). Then histopathological
specimens were made and observed, as a result: 100% inflammatory cell infiltration in the trachea, lungs and kidneys. The tracheal epithelium was swollen and hemorrhaged, and the mucosa was degenerated and sloughed off at a rate of 100%. The lungs had hemorrhage
phenomena causing the alveoli to expand; the lung epithelium was degenerated and sloughed off, accompanied by proliferation of fibrous cells in the alveolar walls and appeared many inflammatory cells at a rate of 100%. Glomeruli were enlarged (100%). Other changes in the
lungs, kidneys, and air sacs accounted for 30.00% - 80.00%.