Dexamethasone reduces infectious bursal disease mortality in chickens
- Author:
Seung Yub SHIN
1
;
Tae Hee HAN
;
Hyuk Joon KWON
;
Sun Joong KIM
;
Pan Dong RYU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Rapid Communication
- From:Journal of Veterinary Science 2021;22(3):e33-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Very virulent infectious bursal disease virus (vvIBDV) causes high mortality in chickens but measures to reduce the mortality have not been explored. Chickens (8–9 weeks) were treated with 3 agents before and during vvIBDV inoculation. Dexamethasone treatment reduced the mortality of infected chickens (40.7% vs. 3.7%; p < 0.001), but treatment with aspirin or vitamin E plus selenium did not affect the mortality. The bursa of Fabricius appeared to have shrunk in both dead and surviving chickens (p < 0.01). The results indicate that dexamethasone can reduce mortality in vvIBDV-infected chickens and may provide therapeutic clues for saving individual birds infected by the virus.
