There is no doubt that immunosuppressive diseases in broiler chickens differ in their nature in terms of the degree of impact and the timing of that impact, and they also differ in their modes of transmission—whether vertical transmission from breeder hens or other routes of spread.

However, they share the common outcome of causing immunosuppression that is described as difficult to control, as in the case of reovirus, chicken anemia, and Gumboro disease; or that may be manageable, such as mycoplasmosis. Nevertheless, Gumboro disease remains one of the major viral immunosuppressive problems that has re-emerged over the past five years and is currently one of the major constraints in the poultry industry despite differences in vaccination programs. Is there a near solution?

Dr. Mokhtar El-Shenhoury

Poultry Diseases Consultant