Immunomodulatory and protective effects of a polyherbal formulation (immon) against infectious anemia virus infection in broiler

The present investigation was undertaken to assess the role of a polyherbal immunomodulator with additional elements (Immon) against the Chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) infection. A total of 60 broiler chicks (day old age) were divided into three groups (n = 20) and vaccinated against Newcastle Disease (ND). The group I chicks were kept as healthy control while group II and III chicks were infected with 1 mL CIAV (10^4.5 TCID ₅₀ /0.1 mL) per chicken intramuscularly. Group III chicks were supplemented with Immon (1 mL/10 birds in the drinking water) for 21 days. Subsequently, chicks of all three groups were monitored for hematological (Hb, PCV, TEC, TLC and DLC) and biochemical parameters (AST, ALT, ALP and uric acid) along with ND antibody titers, organ: body weight ratios, and mean live body weight at 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th and 35th day of the experiment. At 7-24 days of CIAV infection, the group II birds showed a significantly lower count of erythroid and myeloid cells; increase in enzyme activities and uric acid; decline in mean live body weight and organ: body weight ratios of lymphoid organs and decline in ND antibody titers. However, at these day intervals the CIAV immunosuppression was less severe in Immon supplemented chicks which showed significantly (p<0.05) higher values of all the test parameters as compared to virus control group II chicks. Thus, the present findings support that Immon is an effective immunomodulating agent in CIAV affected birds, reduces pathogenicity of the virus, ameliorate the depressed immune responses and protects the virus induced adverse effects on growth performances.