Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro)

Infectious Bursal disease (IBD), also known as Gumboro Disease, is an economically important acute highly contagious viral infection of young Chickens.
Chicken are infected by the virus via the fecal-oral route and the virus is shed in faeces for up to 2 weeks post infection in high amounts.
Prevalence of the disease is influenced by age and chickens are more susceptible at 3 to 6weeks of age. Clinical and sub-clinical infection with IBD Virus may cause an immunosuppression.
This immunosuppression may cause a decreased response to vaccinations in young chickens and an increased susceptibility to other pathogens eventually resulting in greater mortality.
Indigenous chicken suffer the heaviest mortalities  from IBD followed by layer type chicken and broilers.
The most critical measures for optimal control of IBD include: Biosecurity, cleaning and disinfection, passive immunity induction, hatchery vaccination, appropriate selection of a vaccination program and finally monitoring chicken for signs of Gumboro disease.