According to a ProMED posting on December 26th, an IBD (Gumboro disease) variant that has emerged in the E.U. can now be identified by a specific PCR assay and by gene sequencing.
The reassortant virus, which incorporates a VP2 protein from a very virulent strain of virus together with a VP1 protein from classic IBDV was isolated and characterized from affected flocks in Northern Europe in 2010. Evaluation of cases with suboptimal productivity showed that a significant proportion had been exposed to the reassortant strain.
This virus is immunosuppressive but does not result in any specific clinical signs other than depression. The virus has been isolated from both egg production and broiler flocks. Field surveys have been conducted by CEVA with intensive surveillance demonstrating exposure of flocks in diverse regions of France.