A mysterious virus strikes poultry in Iraq

Nahrain Veterinary

12/7/2024

Sulaymaniyah, Hilla, Ramadi and other governorates are currently suffering from many deaths in broiler chickens.

The sources reported that the head of the Poultry Association in Sulaymaniyah, Mr. Nazim Abdullah, announced the spread of an unknown virus in the broiler chicken fields in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and said that this new epidemic is claiming the lives of 50% of the poultry in every project it infects, and there is no known vaccine for it yet. He called on the government to send samples abroad to prepare the required vaccine.

The president of the association said that a group of viruses (IB, Newcastle, and Gamboro) have spread in poultry farms in the Kurdistan region and the rest of Iraq in recent times. These viruses recur annually and cause the death of some poultry, but they do not pose a major danger, compared to the new virus. It seems that this new disease is causing the death of thousands of chickens, as some poultry farms dispose of up to 500 or 1,000 chickens every day, and this causes great harm to the national economy.

It seems that the only approved solution is to vaccinate poultry against the virus, but with regard to this current disease condition, unfortunately there is no vaccine for it currently, and many believe that the responsibility for providing vaccines falls on the government, and samples must be sent outside the country to produce vaccines that match the virus. Serotypes found in Iraq.

Groups for poultry farming and specialists in poultry diseases on various platforms are seriously discussing the emergence of a disease that causes death among poultry in broiler halls, in several Iraqi governorates. This matter will entail many measures and repercussions, and it is expected that the relevant departments will take action. There is a follow-up process for this disease and an announcement of the results.

In the same Dr. Hogar Omar, a specialist in poultry diseases and breeding, mentioned that what he is seeing now is a virulent strain of Newcastle disease (VVNDV) that may be accompanied by infection with the H9 influenza virus, and this is accompanied by the use of local corn in feed with a high level of toxins.

At the same time, some experts believe in the existence of a new strain of Newcastle disease with ICPI, and its virulence has been increased by the presence of feed toxins in local corn and the presence of influenza infections of the H9 type. Newcastle disease represents one of the major challenges in Iraqi poultry, as new strains of it appear from time to time. And also, vaccination programs do not prevent the disease from entering. In the same regard, and due to many restrictions on the instructions, a large number of poultry projects and halls do not have a biosecurity system, which is one of the most important means of preventing the entry of pathogens into the field.