HealthDiseases and Conditions

Marek's disease in chickens: symptoms, treatment, photo. Vaccine against Marek's disease

Everyone knows that health problems can be not only in humans, but also in animals. Farmers who decided to start breeding chickens, it is important to consider that they can be susceptible to various diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to adhere to all the required preventive measures, and in case of problems, they must be eliminated in time.

In the article we will talk about such a disease as Marek's disease in chickens. Consider its main features, types, ways of prevention and treatment.

General information about the disease

The disease occurs as a result of damage to the cells of the body of the bird and is an acute viral disease. At the same time the hen at the time of infection becomes a carrier of the infection and, if not taken all the necessary measures, can infect the others.

The virus penetrates not only into the body of the bird, but also is released into the environment: food, feathers, dust and so on - everything is infected and for a long time retains its destructive properties. For example, at a temperature of +20-25 degrees the virus remains active for several more months, and at a temperature of +4 degrees it is several years.

The only thing that can even be a little happy in this situation is that an aggressive agent dies at a high humidity level. And this means that he, most likely, is not inherited from the chicken to the chicken.

Causes of the disease

What contributes to the emergence of a disease named after the scientist Marek? The disease manifests itself as a result of the destruction of the bird's organism by a DNA-containing virus, which is called "herpesvirus". It interferes with the formation of viral neutralizing antibodies and is characterized by interferon activity.

As mentioned above, the causative agent of the disease is able to survive in the external environment within one year.

Ways of infection

Disease Marek (domestic birds, it affects often) provides for infection by airborne (aerogenic) pathway. The main carrier of infection is the affected chicken, which releases the virus into the environment. This can occur both through the respiratory tract, and through the digestive tract or skin-feather follicles.

As a result, Marek's disease can be transmitted to other birds through feathers, down, feed, water, dust or carried by insects.

The incubation period

At the initial stage of the disease there are no specific signs. The appearance of the problem can only be suspected by the pallor of the crest, weakness and exhaustion of the bird, unnatural gait or posture. In addition, the chicken can begin to show concern. If the disease touched immediately a large number of individuals, there is a probability of the appearance of depressions in birds, which entails dehydration and sudden weight loss.

After the incubation period, which can last from 2 to 15 weeks, Marek's disease in chickens begins to manifest more pronounced.

The acute form of Marek's disease and its symptoms

The acute form of the disease is characterized by loss of body weight, loss of strength, rejection of feed, paralysis and paresis, improper setting of the body (head, legs, tail, wings), digestive problems. If the bird's eyes were affected by the virus, it threatens to have a very rapid loss of vision.

The acute form is characterized by a rapid course of the incubation period and the disease itself. As a rule, a chicken dies at the age of 1 to 5 months.

The acute form of the disease is very similar to leukemia, so after the death of the bird it is important to transfer her body to a special laboratory for examination and precise diagnosis.

The classic form of Marek's disease and its symptoms

There is also a classical form of such a problem as Marek's disease. Symptoms in this case will be as follows: the iris of the eye changes its color to bluish or gray, the pupil becomes pear-shaped or polyhedral, the tail and wings hang, the neck twists, the bird begins to limp.

These changes are associated with nerve damage, which caused paralysis of the whole body or some of its parts.

The incubation period with the classical form of the disease can last for 2-3 months. The chicken perishes at the age of 5 to 16 months.

In order to have an idea of how the bird's eyes change when diagnosed as "Marek's disease," the photo below will serve as a good example.

Apparently, it is very difficult to confuse this disease with any other.

Internal changes

Quite often there are cases when the chicks recover, and after a while (about 2-6 weeks) still die.

This is due to the fact that Marek's disease is also accompanied by changes in the internal organs of the bird. You can detect them only after the death and dissection of the chicken. They appear in the form of numerous foci of tumor development on this or that organ. Most often affected are the heart, stomach, liver, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, ovaries and testes, a factory bag, nerves of the brachial plexus, skin.

The acute form of the disease affects one or more vital parts of the body, which leads to the death of the bird.

In this case, the liver and spleen are usually enlarged and differ in a bumpy or smooth surface with the inclusion of focal or diffuse gray nodules on it.

Diagnosis of the disease

Marek's disease can be diagnosed in special laboratories. To this end, the corpses of dead birds are sent there.

With the purpose of exact detection of the cause of death, express diagnostics are provided, which includes carrying out bioassays on chickens, chick embryos, cell culture assays. As for serological reactions, RNF, RDP, RIGA are used.

In addition, a differential diagnosis is needed that will help to eliminate the presence of hypovitaminosis B and C, leukemia, viral encephalomyelitis.

Marek's disease in chickens: treatment

Are there ways to get rid of the problem? Unfortunately, the treatment of Marek's disease is very rarely effective, because there is simply no special means that will help to defeat the disease. Therapy includes the use of standard antiviral drugs, but the likelihood of a fatal outcome remains high enough. For example, laying hens die in 50% of cases. It is noteworthy that broilers survive much more often - in about 90% of cases.

If the bird has already been struck with paralysis, the chances of its successful recovery are approaching zero.

That's why a special vaccine against Marek's disease was developed, which will help to form immunity from the virus and protect the bird. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Vaccination against Marek's disease

It starts with the fact that the vaccination should only be a qualified specialist (veterinarian). It is impossible to do this on your own.

It is important to take into account the fact that the acquired immunity is not transferred from the chicken to the chicken. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to carry out the immunization of each generation of birds.

As a rule, chickens are vaccinated with a live vaccine, which contains a weakened strain of the virus. Immunity of a young organism can easily cope with it and, as a result, further immunity to it is developed, which persists until the end of life.

For the most effective, it is recommended to vaccinate the chicken already during the first day of its life. After that, the procedure is repeated two weeks later (on the fifteenth day).

Consider a brief summary of the three most well-known vaccines that will help to avoid such trouble as Marek's disease.

"Vaxitek HVT + IBD" (Vaxxiek HVT + IBD)

The vaccine goes on sale in the form of a frozen suspension. It is packaged in 1000, 2000 or 4000 doses in glass ampoules of 2 ml each. All of them are fixed on special tripods and placed in a Dewar vessel with liquid nitrogen, in which (according to the instruction) the transportation and storage of the medicament must take place. A drug is prescribed for the treatment of Marek's disease and Gamboro's disease in chickens.

The tool contains in its composition:

  • Culture of fibroblast cells of spleen-derived chick embryos that were infected with a recombinant herpes virus of turkeys;
  • Dimethylsulfoxide (cryoprotectant).

Before use, the vaccine should be diluted with a special solution of the company "Merial" according to the instructions attached to it.

The drug promotes the formation of immunity to Marek's disease after a single application. The effect persists throughout the life of the bird.

The shelf life of the drug, provided all the necessary transport and storage measures are observed, is 3 years (36 months). At the end of the application of the funds is prohibited.

The drug is immediately disposed of in cases where:

  • On the ampoule with the vaccine there is no marking;
  • The integrity or integrity of the closure has been compromised;
  • The content has changed its color or consistency;
  • Flakes or other impurities appeared in the ampoule;
  • The vaccine was thawed and was not used for an hour after dilution with the solution.

Disinfection means provides for its boiling or treatment of 5% chloramine and 2% alkali solution in a ratio of 1: 1 for half an hour.

"Mareks Rispens + HVT" (Marek's Rispens + HVT)

This drug is packaged in 1000 or 2000 doses and is in ampoules of 2 ml. As in the previous case, the vehicle is transported and stored in a Dewar vessel with liquid nitrogen. The temperature should be -196 degrees.

The composition of the drug includes:

  • Culture of fibroblast cells of spleen-derived chick embryos that have been infected with herpesviruses of turkeys and Marek's disease;
  • Serum of cattle (stabilizer);
  • Dimethylsulfoxide (cryoprotectant).

After using the vaccine, the immunity of chickens is formed on the sixth day and is maintained until the end of its productive use.

The drug has no healing properties and is completely harmless.

The remedy is to be disposed of in the same cases as described in the Waxitec vaccine.

Rispens CVI-988 (Rispens CVI-988)

The product is commercially available in the form of a frozen suspension. In its composition it contains:

  • Cells of spleen fibroblasts SPF-embryos of chickens that have been infected with Marek's disease;
  • Serum of cattle (acts as a stabilizer);
  • Dimethylsulfoxide (cryoprotectant).

The drug can be packaged in 1000 or 2000 ampoules and stored in a container with liquid nitrogen (Dewar vessel) at a temperature of -196 degrees Celsius.

Immunity after the use of the vaccine is formed on the 7-14 day and persists throughout the life of the bird.

Methods of prevention of Marek's disease

Preventive maintenance of disease first of all consists in carrying out of immunization about which there was a speech in the previous sections of clause.

In addition, it is necessary to comply with a few more simple rules.

  1. Organize the separate content of chickens by age group. It is important to pay special attention to the chicks in their first days of life.
  2. Observe the veterinary and sanitary rules in the hen house and incubators.
  3. If suspected of having a disease, suspicious individuals of chickens should be immediately discarded and destroyed. This will help to prevent infection of other birds.
  4. Apparently, the prevention measures are quite simple in execution. However, their compliance will prevent the appearance of the disease and preserve the health of the entire poultry farm.

Let's sum up

Undoubtedly, Marek's disease is a very serious problem for poultry farmers. The disease affects the hens and causes their blindness, paralysis, paresis and death. Another fact that significantly complicates the current situation is that the medicine for the disease has not been invented yet, and the treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs is low in efficiency even at the initial stages. The only thing that farmers can do to preserve the health and life of chickens on the farm is to have a timely vaccination and follow simple rules of prevention.

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