Iranian Scientists Succeed in Rapid Diagnosis of Pullorum Disease in Poultry

This important achievement in the field of veterinary medicine is the result of research conducted as part of the thesis of Maryam Khaleqi, a PhD student in general veterinary medicine at the University of Tehran, under the guidance of Jamshid Razmyar, an associate professor at the Faculty of Tehran’s Veterinary Medicine University, and in collaboration with Abbas Barin, a senior professor of microbiology at the University of Tehran.

“The rapid slide agglutination test has gained a special place due to its speed, low cost, and ease of implementation. This test is based on the agglutination reaction of antibodies produced in the body of infected birds with a suspension of Salmonella antigens,” Razmyar said.

He added that agglutination indicates the presence of circulating antibodies, and agglutination reactions are stained to improve visualization.

Noting that domestic production of the strategic product reduces dependence on imports, Razmyar said, "The development of this color antigen, in addition to reducing dependence on imports, is an effective step in improving the health of poultry flocks and the national economy, and is a reliable and cost-effective diagnostic tool in the country's poultry industry."

Pullorum disease of chickens is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Gallinarum biovar Pullorum (Salmonella pullorum).

In its acute form, Pullorum disease is almost exclusively a septicaemic disease of young chickens.

4155/v