Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
(ISSN: 2659 – 0743)
Volume 2, No. 1, 2020
Pages 181-190
Effects of Immunostimulant (Levamisole hydrochloride) on the clinico-pathological changes in cockerel experimentally infected with very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV)
Muhammed, S. M.*, Saleh, A., Umar F. S. , Idris, S. Y., Enam, S. J. , Usman S. G. , Nenshi, M.P. and Nyillah, E. L.
Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The study was aimed to determine the effects of Levamisole hydrochloride (LMS HCl) on the clinico-pathological changes in cockerel experimentally infected with very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV). One hundred day old cockerels were purchased and randomly divided into 4 groups (A, B, C and D) with 25 chicks per group. Group A Chicks were administered LMS HCl orally at dose of 25 mg/kg on days 26 and 27, challenged with 0.05 ml of vvIBDV intraocularly on day 28. Group B infected with 0.05 ml of vvIBDV intraocularly on day 28, treated with LMS HCl orally on days 29 and 30 at same dose. Group C Chicks infected with 0.05 ml of vvIBDV intraocularly on day 28 without LMS HCl. Group D served as controls. Clinical signs observed were anorexia, weakness, recumbency, ruffled feathers, whitish diarrhea, drooped wings and depression. The clinical signs were milder in LMS treated groups. Mortality rates of 32%, 48% and 100% were observed in groups A, B and C respectively. There was mitigation in mortality rates in LMS treated groups. Pathological findings revealed slightly enlarged bursa of Fabricius, spleen and thymus, others are haemorrhagic breast, mucosal haemorrhages of proventriculus and thigh muscles, were observed in groups A, B and C. In conclusion, the study revealed that LMS HCl administration decreases the clinico-pathological changes in cockerels challenged with vvIBDV.
Keywords: Sialocele, Marsupialization, Sokoto Gudali bull