Seroprevalence and genotyping of avian infectious bronchitis virus detected from Iranian unvaccinated backyard chickens
Background and Objectives: Different epidemiological studies have found that backyard chickens are a reservoir for poultry diseases. Most backyard chicken flocks have a poor level of biosecurity, which increases the risk of spread of diseases. In recent years, the number of backyard chickens has been on the rise in Iran. However, the health status of backyard flocks is still poorly documented. Thus, this study aimed at examining the seroprevalence of antibodies against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and molecular surveillance and genotyping of IBV among backyard chickens (without vaccination history) in Mazandaran province, North of Iran, 2014. Materials and Methods: A total of 460 blood samples of unvaccinated backyard chickens in the mentioned area were tested for antibodies against IBV using commercial ELISA. Also, cecal tonsils were collected from 75 chickens in the same area. Real time RT-PCR (for detection) and RT-PCR and sequencing spike gene were performed. Results: The seropositivity rate was 54.5%. In addition, we detected 793/B, Variant 2, and QX in the backyard flocks and performed phylogenetic studies on them. The phylogenetic study revealed that the detected genotypes had high homology with IBV strains that were infected broilers, pullets, and layers in Iran. Conclusion: There is a need for continuous monitoring of IBV among avian species to complete the epidemiological map and work on the pathogenesis of Iranian IBV strains in Iranian backyard chickens.
Comparative protective immunity provided by live vaccines of Newcastle disease virus or avian metapneumovirus when co-administered alongside classical and variant strains of infectious bronchitis virus in day-old broiler chicks

 Abstract
 
 This study reports on the simultaneous administration of live NDV or aMPV subtype B vaccines alongside two live IBV (Massachusetts-H120 and 793B-CR88) vaccines in day-old maternal-antibody positive commercial broiler chicks. In the first experiment, chicks were divided into four groups; one unvaccinated and three groups vaccinated with live NDV VG/GA-Avinew, live H120 + CR88, or VG/GA-Avinew + H120 + CR88. In the second experiment, live aMPV subtype B vaccine was used in place of NDV. Clinical signs were monitored daily and oropharyngeal swabs were taken at regular intervals for vaccine virus detection. Blood was collected at 21 dpv for serology. 10 chicks from each group were challenged with virulent strains of M41 or QX or aMPV subtype B. For IBV, after 5 days post challenge (dpc), tracheal ciliary protection was assessed. For aMPV, clinical scores were recorded up to 10 dpc. For NDV, haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titres were assayed as an indicator of protective immunity. In both experiments, ciliary protection for IBV vaccinated groups was maintained above 90%. The protection against virulent aMPV challenge was not compromised when aMPV, H120 and CR88 were co-administered. NDV HI mean titres in single and combined NDV-vaccinated groups remained above the protective titre (>3 log2). Both experiments demonstrated that simultaneous administration of live NDV VG/GA-Avinew or aMPV subtype B alongside H120 and CR88 vaccines does not interfere with protection conferred against NDV, IBV or aMPV.
 

Comparison between Two Chemicals for Reducing Scale Formation in Reverse Osmosis Systems
In this present research was transacted with the calcium carbonate scale inhibition on the membrane surface of the reverse osmosis desalination system. Influence of changing feed solution flow rate (10-25)l/h, pH of the feed solution (6-10) on the recovery ,penetrate flow rate and total dissolved solid in (RO) system by using solution of calcium carbonate as feed solution was investigated, furthermore the effect of adding two types of scale inhibitor ,zinc chloride and polyamino polyether methylene phosphonate with difference concentration (2-8)mg/l for zinc chloride and (8-15) mg/l for polyamino polyether methylene phosphonate was calculated. The results showed that the permeate rate increases as the feed flow rate augmentation ,while it reducing with time, the total dissolved solids decreases as the feed flow rate increases while it increases with time and recovery rate decreases as the feed flow rate increases and it also decreases with time. It was concluded that the permeate rate decreases as the feed solution pH value increases and it cause high scale forming thus decrease the permeate TDS.By adding the scale inhibitor, it was found that the permeate rate and recovery rates increases as the concentration of inhibitor increases while the total dissolved solids decreases in the permeate with increasing the concentration of both inhibitors .It was discovered that Polyamino polyether methylene phosphonate more sturdy than zinc chloride as scale inhibitor for reverse osmosis desalination system in all concentrations was studied in this article.