Molecular detection of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in broiler chickens with respiratory infection in Shahrekord

Respiratory disease conditions are continuing to cause heavy economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) has been incriminated as a possible additional causative agent in respiratory disease complex. Although، ORT has been proved to be highly sensitive to different chemical disinfectants، currently، ORT infection appears to have become endemic and can affected every new restocking even in previously cleaned and disinfected houses especially in areas with intensive poultry production as well as in multiple age farms. Considering the importance of what mentioned، present study was conducted to detection of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale in broiler chickens with respiratory infection from Shahrekord، Iran. Altogether 93 tracheal swab samples collected from 31 broiler chicken flocks with respiratory diseases in Shahrekord، Iran. The samples were plated onto Blood agar containing Gentamicin and 5% defibrinated sheep blood and incubated under 5-7. 5% CO2 at 37°C for 48 hours. Suspected colonies were evaluated for detecting ORT by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The rate for respiratory infections with ORT was 19. 14% (18 out of 93). Present study suggests ORT can play a significant role in economic losses caused by respiratory diseases in the poultry industry of the region.