Sero-epidemiological Survey of Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease Antibodies in Japanese Quails (<i>Coturnix Coturnix Japonica</i>)

The search for alternative and cheaper sources of animal protein has led to the introduction of quails to Nigeria. However, disease outbreaks constitute a limiting factor to the achievement of this goal. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of Japanese quails (<i>Coturnix coturnix japonica</i>) in the sustenance of the circulating strains of avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in the Nigerian domestic chicken population. One hundred and twenty-two weeks-old unvaccinated Japanese quails and 210 twelve (12) day-old embryonated eggs of these birds were purchased from a reputable research center in Nigeria. Antibody was extracted from the egg yolk for maternal antibody evaluation and haemagglutination inhibition (HI) determination following standard procedures. The serum samples obtained were screened for avian influenza virus (AIV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibodies. Out of the 203 quail egg yolk extracts tested for the presence of HI antibodies, 3 (1.5%) and 136 (66.9%) were positive for AI and ND respectively. None of the serum samples was positive for antibodies against the two viruses. The positive egg yolk extracts yielded a minimum HI antibody titre of log<sub>2</sub>3 (≥1:8). The results obtained from this investigation showed that AI (H5N2) and ND maternal antibodies were present in Japanese quails, thus establishing the potential of these birds in the epidemiology of these two viral diseases. There is the need to routinely vaccinate local chickens and Japanese quails against ND. The national herd health programme should incorporate regular flock profiling as a way of routine sero-surveillance to forestall outbreak of these two viral diseases.