Including 793/B type avian infectious bronchitis vaccine in 1-day-old chicken increased the protection against QX genotype

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a highly infectious pathogen, which affects the respiratory tract, reproductive system, and kidney of chickens. Many different genotypes of IBV are recognized which cause different clinical manifestations. According to the antigenic differences, different serotypes of the virus do not cross-protect. Massachusetts serotype induces the best cross-protection against other serotypes. Recently, the IBV QX genotype has been detected in Iran. QX genotype causes permanent damage to the oviduct in layer and breeder flock if it occurs in the early life cycle. In this study, we compared two vaccination program using 793/B type and Massachusetts type vaccine. One-day-old SPF chickens were divided into four groups. Groups 1 and 2 were unvaccinated groups. Group 3 was vaccinated with the H120 vaccine at day 1 and 793/B at day 14 (eye drop), and group 4 was vaccinated with H120+793/B (eye drop) on the first day and 793/B at day 14. Groups 2, 3, and 4 challenged (oculonasal) with QX genotype (10(4) EID50) at day 35. Five days post challenge, the sample were clollected for ciliostasis test, histopathology, and quantitative real-time RT-PCR from trachea, lung, and kidneys. Results showed that two vaccination programs created more than 80% of protection against challenge virus, but no significant difference was recorded between two programs. Based on our results, it can be concluded that vaccination with two mixed vaccines (H120+793/B) on the first day of the life of a chick does not make any difference in comparison to single vaccine (H120) in reducing of pathological damages and viral load. As long as the second vaccination against IB may not be applied properly in farm situation, applying the mixture of 793/B type vaccine with H120 at day 1 (ocular or spray) may help to increase vaccination program efficacy.