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ILT in a Back Yard
Chicken Flock
Bob Goodhope, Saskatchewan Poultry Extension Veterinarian, University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon
WestVet 19, September 30, 2008
Lake Louise,
AB
Several 12 week old broilers were
submitted to the diagnostic lab with a history of depression, not eating or
drinking, open mouth breathing and vocalization with apparent blindness (some
with cloudy eyes). The affected broilers died suddenly. The onset of signs was
coincident with new feed and after feed was removed mortality decreased. Turkeys and
layers were experiencing an increasing mortality after exposure to the suspect
feed. Gross post mortem findings included chronic airsacculitis, diphtheritic
yellow, circumscribed and raised lesions in the mouth and glottis. Roundworms
were present in the intestines. Histopathology of trachea and lung supported a
diagnosis of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) with prominent intranuclear
inclusion bodies. Trachea and lung were also PCR positive for herpesvirus. The
oral lesions were focal necrosis, serocellular crust and bacteria. The history
of ILT outbreaks in Saskatchewan
commercial chicken flocks during the past 10 years was reviewed. The
epidemiology of ILT was reviewed including latency, reactivation and shedding.
Difficulties encountered in small back yard flock diagnostic submissions were
discussed including misleading flock histories and uncharacteristic disease
patterns. The prevalence of ILT virus in back yard flocks is unknown because of
the very low case submission rates. This case is a reminder of the presence of
ILT virus in small back yard flocks and the risk of infecting the chicken and
layer industry.
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Western
Meeting of Poultry