Infectious bursal disease (IBD), commonly known as Gumboro, is an immunosuppressive disease in chickens caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). A wide range of IBDV pathotypes exist in nature. They have been generally classified into subclinical IBDV (variant), classic virulent IBDV and very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) groups. Although vvIBDV does not exist in some countries, phylogenetic studies indicate these highly pathogenic viruses have spread to nearly all poultry producing countries of the world, including the United States.
Source: Poultry Health Today, October 17, 2016.
Experience with IBDV in the U.S. has taught us that biosecurity alone is not an effective control. Vaccination of breeder flocks to produce maternal immunity in their progeny is crucial for IBD control, states Daral J. Jackwood, PhD, Ohio State University.
Unfortunately, many backyard flock owners do not vaccinate their birds for IBDV. The unrestricted movement of backyard poultry is probably the biggest risk factor for the spread of vvIBDV to even more bird-dense regions in the U.S., where its containment may be more difficult than we’ve seen so far on the West Coast.
INSIGHTS: Control of IBD and, in particular, vvIBDV in backyard flocks, will require education of flock owners so they recognize the problem and take steps to prevent its spread to other backyard flocks and to commercial poultry. Vaccinating commercial and backyard poultry flocks for vvIBDV is critical to controlling the spread of the virus that causes this acute disease. However, it is not clear which vaccines available in the U.S. are able to control vvIBDV.