RANIKHET DISEASE

o  Ranikhet disease is a contagious viral disease of poultry

characterized by high mortality, petechial haemorrhage in
proventriculus, ulcers and haemorrhage at caecal tonsils and
pneumoencephalitis. It is also known as Newcastle disease.

Etiology

o  Paramyxo virus

o  RNA virus-3 types

n  Lentogenic- mild virulent
n  Mesogenic- moderate virulent
n  Velogenic- highly virulent

Avian Pathology Prof RS Chauhan 1

 RANIKHET DISEASE
Pathogenesis
o  Inhalation, ingestion
o  In intestines replication occurs
o  The virus is attached to cells with haemagglutinin glycoprotein
o  Virus membrane fuses with cell membrane with fusion
glycoproteins

o  Nucleocapsid complex enters in the cell

o  During replication glycoprotein is cleaved for the progeny virus

particles
o  Virulent viruses invade and replicate in many tissues
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 RANIKHET DISEASE
Characteristic symptoms
o  Yellowish / greenish diarrhoea
o  Twitching of neck
o  Heavy mortality
o  Early chick mortality
o  Paralysis
o  Respiratory distress
o  Prostration and mortality

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 RANIKHET DISEASE
Macroscopic features
o  Velogenic form
n  Petechial haemorrhage on
the tip of the proventriculus
papillae
n  Haemorrhagic ulcers in
intestines, caecal tonsils
n  Petechial haemorrhage on
serosal surfaces of visceral
organs

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 RANIKHET DISEASE
Macroscopic features

o  Mesogenic form

n  Congestion of lungs and brain

n  Pneumoencephalitis

n  Mottling of spleen

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 RANIKHET DISEASE

Macroscopic features
o  Lentogenic form
n  Haemorrhagic lesions are few or absent and low
mortality
n  Drop in egg production with congestion of ovaries

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 RANIKHET DISEASE

Microscopic features

o  Proliferation of
endothelial cells of blood
vessels in brain

o  Cytoplasmic vacuolation

in neurons

o  Proliferation of glial cells

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 RANIKHET DISEASE
Microscopic features
o  Thrombosis in blood vessels of intestine
o  Necrosis of mucosa leading to ulcer formation
at caecal tonsils
o  Proliferation of Kuffer cells in liver
o  Congestion in lungs
o  Congestion of ovaries and oviduct
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 RANIKHET DISEASE

Diagnosis
o  Symptoms and lesions

o  Demonstration of antigen in brain tissue

o  Immunological tests - ELISA, AGPT, CIEP

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