author(s)
J Venkatesh Yadav, M Lakshman, D Madhuri and TR Kannaki

abstract
IBV (Infectious Bronchitis Virus) is a highly contagious viral infection of poultry caused by avian corona virus which has an affinity for respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems thus causing decreased FCR (Feed conversion ratio) and reduced body weights. In this study, birds are experimentally infected with a novel strain of IBV, IND/AHL/16/01, isolated from gout, nephritis, mortality cases in pure line birds at ICAR-DPR and molecularly characterised. A total of 150, twenty days old seronegative vanaraja birds were inoculated with 10^4.7 embryo infective dose 50 (EID₅₀ / 1 mL) virus through intranasal (IN) and intravenous (IV) routes. Weekly body weights were recorded to test the influence of the virus on body weight gains for 3 weeks. It was observed that there was a significant decrease in the body weights of chicken in the IBV infected groups when compared to the control group chicken by the end of 3^rd week. Hence it can be concluded that the nephropathogenic virus isolate used in the study is highly pathogenic, causing a significant decrease in the feed intake and body weight gains in chicken.