Infectious bronchitis in New Zealand chickens

Abstract

Extract

Infectious bronchitis is an acute and highly contagious viral disease which typically appears as an upper respiratory tract infection of young chickens (Hofstad, 1959b). The causative agent also causes a drop in the quantity and quality of eggs laid by adult birds (McDougall, 1968) and severe nephritis, commonly termed “uraemia”, in young chickens (Cumming, 1969a). In the United States and in Britain the virus is considered an important member of a group of respiratory agents which together are responsible for considerable economic loss to the poultry industry (McMartin, 1963). In Australia “uraemia” is a major disease hazard which in 1954 was considered the most important disease of the poultry industry in New South Wales (Hungerford, 1962). There have been two reports of isolation of the virus in New Zealand (Pohl, 1967; 1968), but they contain only limited information on the diseases associated with the virus isolates.