Tembusu virus is a dangerous agent that causes overturning syndrome and reduced fertility, also known as Tembusu disease, in ducks, geese, and some poultry and waterfowl species. Photo: R.E.P Biotech.
Tembusu virus is responsible for severe egg-drop syndrome and fatal encephalitis in certain poultry. Beginning in 2019, the Tembusu virus will proliferate in Vietnam and become a novel research topic.
Due to the rapid transmission rate and high level of damage caused by Tembusu in duck farming, it is essential to test, diagnose, and evaluate the circulation of the virus strain in order to provide a prompt response and mitigate economic loss for farmers.
It is essential to come up with rapid detection measures for ducks infected with the Tembusu virus, R.E.P Biotechnology Joint Stock Company has diligently researched and became the first unit in Vietnam to successfully adopt hemagglutination inhibition (HI) reaction to monitor the circulation of Tembusu virus in ducks.
The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) reaction in Tembusu detection is performed in 5 steps. Photo: R.E.P Labs.
According to the research team at R.E.P Labs Center, the HI method permits the screening of the circulation of the Tembusu virus on a large scale among duck flocks exhibiting neither disease symptoms nor a vaccination-induced immune response.
Through rigorous sample analysis, the HI method can assist duck producers, particularly those who raise egg-laying ducks, in taking the necessary precautions to prevent catastrophic economic losses. Moreover, the response can quantify antibody levels after disease vaccination.
The HI reaction is based on the characteristics of a virus capable of red blood cell agglutination. In this reaction, the antibodies present in the samples of poultry and waterfowl will combine with the standard virus, preventing the virus from forming a network of red blood cells. Consequently, these red blood cells will form a stain.
Tebusu's HI reaction was detected in five stages, which are considered "golden standards" in hemagglutination-causing virus immunity testing.
According to the Vietnam National standard, the HI reaction is used to diagnose diseases induced by viruses that cause hemagglutination in poultry and waterfowl, such as Newcastle, avian influenza, and egg drop syndrome (EDS) in chickens.
Test results for antibodies to Tembusu virus in ducks 28 days after vaccination. Photo: R.E.P Labs.
In light of the fact that there is no official statement on the Tembusu vaccine that has been officially tested and disseminated, testing and evaluating post-vaccination efficacy using the HI method is required to assist livestock producers in achieving effective results. Selecting the most effective vaccines to prevent and control Tembusu disease in waterfowl.
This event was organized by R.E.P Biotechnology Joint Stock Company in collaboration with Vietnam Agriculture Newspaper to educate duck producers on the challenges posed by the Tembusu virus and the detection solutions offered by the application of HI technology. The "Tembusu - Challenges and Solutions" scientific conference will be held on September 8, 2023 at the Sheraton Hotel, 88 Dong Khoi, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCM City.
Attending the seminar were prominent speakers, including: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thanh Hien, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Community Veterinary Medicine at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Ho Chi Minh City; MSc Nguyen Thi Thu Nam, Director of the Veterinary Hospital at the University of Agriculture and Forestry in Ho Chi Minh City; and Associate Professor, PhD. Nguyen Xuan Ho
In addition, leaders from the Department of Livestock Production, the Department of Animal Health, the Vietnam Livestock Association, the Vietnam Poultry Association, as well as hundreds of businesses, cooperatives, and breeding households involved in animal farming in general and waterfowl farming in particular, attended the seminar.
The speakers will share their experiences with diagnosis, prevention, and solutions for employing HI techniques to Tembusu antibody testing based on actual cases.
Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a flavivirus belonging to the Flaviviridae family that causes a highly contagious disease in ducks. It was identified for the first time in April 2010 in Shanghai, China, and swiftly spread to the majority of duck-producing regions in China, particularly the southeastern provinces.
The disease is distinguished by a sharp decline in egg production in both egg-laying and reproductive ducks, as well as by diarrhea, neurological disorders, and mortality in ducklings younger than two weeks. In Malaysia and Thailand, the disease has been reported in waterfowl since 2010. Flaviviruses are positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that are widespread. Over seventy distinct members of the genus Flavivirus have been identified. Infected mosquitoes and parasites transmit numerous flaviviruses to humans and other animals.
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