Comparison effect of mentofin and bromhexine on the immune response against the killed Influenza vaccine subtype H9N2 in broiler chicks

Mentofin and bromhexine are respectively herbal and synthetic bronchodilator medicines,which are utilized in the management of respiratory disease problems. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of mentofin and bromhexine on antibody production against influenza A subtype H9N2 killed Vaccine. For this purpose, 140-day old broiler chicks randomly were divided into 4 equal groups A, B, C and D (35 of each). The birds of group A and B were treated respectively with 0.5 and 1 ml/lit of mentofin and bromhexine in drinking water for the first two days of every week up to the end of the experiment (44 days). Groups C and D were kept as untreated control groups. The birds of groups A, B and C were vaccinated subcutaneously with Influenza A subtype H9N2 killed vaccine at the lower back of neck on day 9. Blood samples were collected from wing vein of 10 chicks from each group on days 0, 7, 21, 28 and 35 post vaccination and specific influenza antibody titers were determined by the hemagglutination inhibition test. The results of the present study, showed that the administration of bromhexine and mentofin significantly increased specific antibody titers of Influenza killed vaccine on days 21, 28 and 35 days post vaccination (p<0.05). It was concluded that bromhexine and mentofin have positive effect on humoral response of birds against influenza killed vaccine.