Infectious Bronchitis Virus: a major cause of respiratory disease outbreaks in chickens in Ghana

Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) causes respiratory diseases with significant economic losses in the global poultry industry. The possible presence of this pathogen in the commercial poultry industry in Ghana has not yet been evaluated and thus there is no control strategy in place. In the present study, the RT-PCR technique was used to detect IBV in respiratory disease outbreaks in 6 chicken farms in the Ga East district of Accra. RNA was extracted from tracheal swabs of birds with respiratory signs and used in an RT-PCR to amplify the S1 glycoprotein gene of IBV. Forty seven (47) samples were obtained and analyzed during a 3 month period from broilers, layers and broiler breeders. Thirty (30) of the samples were positive for IBV by RT-PCR, giving a prevalence of 64%. This study confirms the presence of IBV in the study area and provides initial evidence of IBV involvement in respiratory disease outbreaks. Additional studies including virus isolation attempts and characterization will provide necessary data to outline and implement an effective control strategy in the country. Keywords: Infectious Bronchitis Virus, RT-PCR, chickens, Ghan