Hydropericardium Hepatitis Syndrome

Hydropericardium-hepatitis syndrome (HHS) is an important emerging disease having economic importance and is reported in almost all regions of India but limited information is available from the North Eastern states. Hence, the present investigation focused on determining the prevalence, clinico-pathological features, and molecular diagnosis of HHS in the poultry population of Mizoram. A total of 2,430 birds from 15 farms across different districts were examined for HHS outbreaks. Clinical signs were documented in affected flocks, and pathological examinations were conducted on 190 dead birds. Outbreaks were identified in 5 broiler farms (33.3%), characterized by sudden mortality ranging from 18 to 25.2% in birds aged 4 to 6 weeks. Pathological analysis revealed typical lesions, including hydropericardium, hepatitis, and basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies within hepatocytes. Molecular confirmation was obtained through PCR detection of the FAdV hexon gene in tissue samples. This study provides the first evidence of a high prevalence of HHS in the poultry population of Mizoram.