The effect of route of infection and strain of virus on the pathology of Australian infectious bronchitis.

The pathogenesis of infectious bronchitis in 4-week-old chickens was studied following administration of Australian T strain of IBV by the aerosol, conjunctival, intranasal, in-contact and drinking water routes. Infected birds showed similar patterns of clinical signs, gross and histopathological lesions. While the birds infected by the aerosol route had earlier and slightly more severe respiratory tract disease it was concluded that the pathogenesis of infectious bronchitis virus nephritis was not significantly influenced by the route used to infect the birds. In a second experiment, pathological changes produced in chickens infected with Australian S, A, A3 and T strains of IBV were compared in 18-day-old chickens infected by the aerosol route and housed in cold and warm environments. All 4 strains produced respiratory reactions and kidney lesions, and these changes were more severe and of longer duration in both respiratory tract and kidneys in the birds housed in a cold environment than those receiving supplementary heat. The viruses differed in their virulence for the trachea and kidney and the effect of a virus on the respiratory trace was independent of the effect of that virus on the kidney.