Med. Weter. 68 (11), 647-649, 2012

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Samorek–Salamonowicz E., Kozdruń W.
Derzsy’s disease: Still a problem
The aetiological agent of Derzsy’s disease is a parvovirus (GPV) belonging to the Parvoviridae family, genera Dependovirus. Currently, the mortality rate of Derzsy’s disease is much lower than it was before the introduction of vaccination. The most common form is the chronic one. Therefore, cases of Derzsy’s disease in geese in 1998 – 2011 were analyzed. The study was carried out in 122 bird flocks. The number of birds in the flocks ranged from 1,200 to 12,000, and most flocks consisted of 3,000 – 5,000 geese. Most goslings in the flocks were 2 – 5 weeks old. The presence of antibodies against GPV was detected in all flocks of birds up to 5 weeks of age. The first symptoms, such as reluctance to eat and drink, difficulty in locomotion, paralysis and diarrhoea, usually appeared in the first two weeks of life. The mortality of geese in each year ranged from 13.95% to 42.45%. Among the geese examined, the most frequent pathological changes were observed in the liver, in the form of oedema (22%) and hyperaemia (41%). In 33% of geese a significant degree of emaciation was noted. Derzsy’s disease was confirmed by the PCR detection of the virus in the visceral organs in 36 of the flocks examined. Derzsy’s disease was reported most frequently in the following voivodeships: Greater Poland, Podlaskie, Lublin, Lower Silesian, and Lubusz. In these areas, despite annual prophylactic vaccination, Derzy’s disease was observed in geese aged 1- 6 weeks, usually between 2.5 – 3.5 weeks of age. Additionally, using the multiplex PCR, a mixed infection with GPV and goose circovirus was found in 6 flocks. Research aimed at developing a recombinant vaccine against Derzsy’s disease and a new enzymatic ELISA was started last year. To sum up, the analysis of the results shows that Derzsy’s disease remains a health threat in young goose flocks.
Key words: goslings, Derzsy’s disease, GPV, PCR