Prevalence, risk factors, and regional insights of infectious coryza among poultry populations in China during 1993–2024: a meta-analysis

Infectious coryza (IC) is an acute upper respiratory tract disease in chickens triggered by Avibacterium paragallinarum, causing reduced egg production and growth retardation that result in significant economic losses in China's poultry industry. The prevalence of IC in chicken flocks in mainland China between 1993 and 2024 was estimated from 29 epidemiological studies from databases including the PubMed, Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), Wanfang Data, and China Knowledge Network (CNKI). Studies involving non-chicken hosts, duplicate records, or incomplete data were excluded based on predefined exclusion criteria. A total of 29 studies, encompassing 15,729 poultry, met the inclusion criteria. The pooled estimated prevalence of IC infection in Chinese poultry was 33% (2,696/15,729), with North China having the highest prevalence at 43%, exceeding the rates reported in other regions. IC prevalence was associated with geographic region and sampling season. The findings indicate distinct regional variation in IC prevalence across China. Therefore, ongoing surveillance and region-specific control strategies are important. In areas with higher prevalence, targeted regulatory interventions are required to reduce transmission and prevent disease spread in poultry populations.