Patho-morphological changes in hydropericardium-hepatitis syndrome in broiler chickens in Jammu region

Abstract

Hydropericardium Hepatitis Syndrome (HHS) is an economically important poultry disease infecting wide range of poultry host including parrots, falcons and ostrich and has a significant negative economic impact on the global poultry industry. A study was conducted to investigate the pathology and molecular diagnosis of HHS in poultry birds from March 2022 to May 2023 in Jammu region. Outbreak of HHS was recorded in 2 different farms with sudden onset of high mortality in broiler birds of 4-6 weeks of age. Samples collected from broiler farms were examined for gross and histopathological changes in Fowl Adenovirus (FAdV) infection in the field samples. Gross examination showed characteristic straw coloured fluid in pericardial sac; pale, friable and enlarged livers with minute, petechial or ecchymotic haemorrhages and enlarged kidneys. Histologically, the liver of affected birds revealed presence of basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in hepatocytes, vacoular degeneration and focal hepatocytic necrosis. The kidneys displayed severe degeneration and necrosis of tubular epithelium, hypercellularity of glomerular tuft and interstitial haemorrhages. Spleen showed lymphocytolysis in splenic follicles in infected birds. Tissue samples (liver) of infected birds were used for DNA isolation and detection of FAdV using PCR to amplify hexon gene. The amplified PCR was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis indicated DNA fragments of approximately 890 bp as expected revealed presence of HPS virus. Keywords: Hydropericardium Hepatitis Syndrome (HHS), Fowl Adenovirus (FAdV), inclusion bodies, hexon.