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Molecular Characterization Of Iranian Infectious Bursal Disease VirusesAuthor(s): J. Razmyar and S. M. PeighambariSource: Avian Diseases Digest, 3(4):e11-e11. 2008.Published By: American Association of Avian PathologistsDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1637/1933-5334-3.4.e11URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1637/1933-5334-3.4.e11

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MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF IRANIAN INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUSES

J. RAZMYAR AND S.M. PEIGHAMBARI*Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6453, Iran

Study ResultsThis study was conducted to characterize nine infectious bursal

disease virus (IBDV) isolates from Iran. Three isolates demonstratedclose relation to classical attenuated strains of IBDVs and six isolatesshowed sequences common in European and Asian strains of veryvirulent IBDVs (vvIBDVs). Phylogenetic analysis showed that theIranian vvIBDVs were closely related to European and AsianvvIBDVs (Figure 1).

Significance of Study ResultsAlthough the source and the route by which vvIBDV entered Iran

is unclear to the researchers, the findings of recent works in Iranshow the fast spread of highly virulent IBD viruses from other partsof the world to Iranian poultry industries. Further comprehensiveinvestigations will provide more information on the distribution,variability, and phylogenetic relationships of different IBD virusesisolated in Iran and other parts of the world.

Additional InformationInfectious bursal disease (IBD) is a highly contagious disease of

young chickens. Lymphoid tissue, in particular bursa of Fabricius, isthe primary target of IBD virus (IBDV). IBDV has worldwidedistribution in poultry populations. Infectious bursal disease iscommercially important to the poultry industry due to generallyincreased disease susceptibility and interference with effectivevaccination. Very virulent (vv) IBDVs were initially reported inEurope in the late 1980s then were distributed around the worldexcept North America and Australia.

In Iran, IBDV was first isolated from a broiler chicken in 1981.The presence of vvIBDVs in Iran has been confirmed by two recentreports, in which two IBDV isolates has been characterized. In a

more comprehensive study, we attempted to collect five pooled bursalsamples from each of 49 broiler and layer pullet flocks suspected tohave IBD infections from different parts of Iran during 2005–2006.Amplified VP2 fragments were further characterized by restrictionenzymes and 37 positive samples were found, from which 34 showedpatterns compatible with vvIBDV and three demonstrated patternscompatible with classical IBDVs. To further study the Iranian fieldIBDV isolates, three isolates with classical IBDVs pattern and sixisolates with vvIBDV were chosen. These samples were selected basedon the macroscopic appearance of the bursae, clinical features of IBDin the farms, and geographical regions.*Corresponding author. E-mail: mpeigham@ut.ac.ir

Copyright E 2008, American Association of Avian Pathologists, Inc. 1933-5334 online

Fig. 1. Phylogenetic tree of nucleotide sequence from the 743-bp VP2 genefragment of Iranian IBDV field isolates and published IBDV strains. The tree wasconstructed by Clustal method by calculating bootstrap values for 1000 replicates.Branched distances correspond to sequence divergence.

Summarized from Avian Diseases, Vol. 52, No. 4, 2008, Pages 665–669