First report of type B in Iraqi broiler flocks with swollen head syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Swollen head syndrome (SHS) is a complex disease caused by various agents, including bacterial and viral pathogens, as well as environmental factors. (aMPV) is one of the most important causes of respiratory diseases and SHS in poultry and one of the most widespread viruses worldwide; however, it has not been recorded in Iraq. This study aimed at the molecular identification and subtyping of aMPV in poultry, with the objectives of investigating the prevalence of aMPV in infected broiler flocks with SHS and molecular typing using primers specific to the study of the prevalence of subtypes A, B, and C of aMPV.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was performed on 67 broiler farms that reported typical SHS from September 2018 to August 2019. Swabs were collected from the trachea, infraorbital sinuses, and lung, then uploaded on FTA cards and subjected to an RNA extraction protocol.

RESULTS

aMPV was detected in 16 (23.8%) samples. Molecular typing using primers specific to the attachment glycoprotein (G) gene showed that all positive samples belonged to subtype B, as assessed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction technique.

CONCLUSION

aMPV may be the main etiological factor causing SHS in poultry. Moreover, this was the first report of the prevalence of subtype B aMPV strains in broiler farms in Iraq.