Features of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Domestic Poultry

H5 and H7 subtypes are associated with the highly pathogenic form of AI (HPAI), which are extremely virulent, causing up to 100% mortality in domestic poultry. This virulence and ability to cause systemic infection have been attributed to the multibasic cleavage motif in their hemagglutinin molecule, which are recognized by subtilisin-like endoproteases that are virtually present in every tissue, making them capable of replicating in multiple tissue; hence, lesions are multisystemic (i.e., nervous, circulatory, respiratory, integumentary, musculoskeletal, hemopoietic, gastrointestinal, reproductive systems). The myriads of lesion that accompanied outbreaks of HPAI in domestic poultry as seen in Nigeria from 2006 to 2016 are as a result of the above findings. A critical look at the Nigerian HPAI situation not only revealed the general clinic-pathologic features in domestic poultry and factors that support the persistence of the virus in the environment but also gave insight to the flow of the virus in the country. A situation whereby poultry are kept in free-range, multispecies, multiage holdings with low biosecurity supports the spread of HPAI. Also, the live bird markets (LBMs) that have been fed by this unorganized poultry structure have consistently been the nidus for HPAI detection, be it in 2008 after the virus was thought to have been eradicated or in 2015, when the virus resurfaced in Lagos. It is proposed that all factors enhancing the propensity of the virus to remain in poultry should be giving the attention required. Therefore, it is important that the strict biosecurity measures that ensure prevention of HPAI incursion into poultry premises after 2008 are revamped while improving on the organization of the poultry and product supply chain in the country

Natural outbreak of Marek’s disease in indigenous chicken and Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Carcasses of an indigenous adult chicken and Japanese quail from different flocks were presented to a veterinary clinic for postmortem (PM) examination in 2014 in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. PM observations revealed cutaneous, hepatic, and splenic tumors in the Indigenous chicken. The quail carcass was emaciated with hepatic tumors. Histopathology revealed severe focally extensive non encapsulated circumscribed large nodules with pleomorphic population of cells mainly composed of lymphoplasmacytic and mixed neutrophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the chicken. The pleomorphic infiltration of lymphohistioplasmacytic cells mixed with neutrophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the quail were consistent with Marek’s disease virus (MDV) infection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out and the Meq oncogene of the MDV was amplified in the samples collected from the chicken and quail to confirm the presence of the virulent MDV. The samples were also subjected to PCR for detection of MDV Rispens CVI988 vaccine strain which was detected in both chicken and quail samples. The findings in this study represent the first report of confirmatory diagnosis of MD using histopathology in an indigenous chicken and Japanese quail in Nigeria. It is also the first report of detection of MDV Rispens CVI988 vaccine strain in unvaccinated chicken and quail in Nigeria