INFECTIOUS CORYZA

TANUVAS, 2011
Introduction
Acute highly contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract
chickens.
Cause: Haemophilus paragallinarum
Chickens of all ages are susceptible, but older birds react more
severely.
The presence of the capsule and the specific haemagglutination
antigen are necessary for the pathogenicity of the organism.
The disease occurs world wide and causes economic losses due to
increased culling in growing chickens and reduced egg production in
layers.
Infectious coryza can turn into chronic respiratory disease.

TANUVAS, 2011
Spread
Main source of infection are diseased and carrier birds.
It spread by drinking water contaminated by nasal discharge, as well
as by airborne means over a short distance.
Lateral transmission occurs readily by direct contact.

TANUVAS, 2011
Pathogenesis
Organisms
Entry
Adherence with ciliated mucosa of Upper respiratory tract

Capsule & Haemagglutination antigen (HA) play an important role in
the colonisation

Toxic substances

Clinical signs & Lesions

Synergistic interaction with other agents / immunosuppression

Spread to Lower respiratory tract
Predisposing factors : IBV, ILTV, M. gallisepticum, E.coli

TANUVAS, 2011
Clinical signs
Characterised by rapid spread, high morbidity, and low mortality.
The period of incubation is 1-3 days after contact infection, and susceptible
birds in the flock show signs within 7-10 days.
The course of the disease:
Not more than 10 days ( if not complicated by other infections)
About three weeks ( in the more severe form)
The first characteristic signs include sero-mucoid nasal and ocular discharge
and facial edema.
In severe cases, marked conjunctivitis with closed eyes, swollen wattles, and
difficult breathing
Drop in feed and water intake.
Reduction in egg production or an increase in the rate of culling.
A reduction of egg production of more than 20% indicates multifactorial
disease.
The complicated, more severe and prolonged cases may be progressed to
chronic respiratory disease.

TANUVAS, 2011
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Lesions
Chickens have catarrhal to fibrino-purulent inflammation of infraorbital
sinus and conjunctiva.
Subcutaneous edema of the face and wattles is prominent.
The upper trachea may be involved, but the lungs and air sacs are
affected only in chronic complicated cases.
Microscopically, lesions include loss of cilia and microvilli, cell edema,
degeneration and desquamation of mucosal and glandular epithelium,
infiltration of leukocytes, and deposition of mucopurulent substances,
followed by infiltration of mast cells into the lamina propria of the
mucous membrane

TANUVAS, 2011
Infectious coryza

TANUVAS, 2011
Infectious coryza

Swollen sinuses with

nasal exudate in a hen
with infectious coryza.

TANUVAS, 2011
Diagnosis
The history of rapidly spreading disease, its clinical signs and lesions
may be helpful for tentative diagnosis
Confirmatory diagnosis by cultural isolation and identification of the
casual agents ( swabs from infraorbital sinus of 2-3 diseased chickens)
Culturing on blood agar plates streaked with a feeder organism such
as Staphylococcus epidermis.
Serological tests: Agglutination, haemagglutination inhibition and
fluorescent antibody test

TANUVAS, 2011