1Department of Veterinary Pathology, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Belgachia, Kolkata-700 037, (West Bengal), India.
2Directorate of Research, Extension and Farms, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Belgachia, Kolkata-700 037, (West Bengal), India.
Cellular and humoral immune response were assessed in broiler chickens induced with acute lethal dose50 of chromium oxide (17.2 mg kg−1 body weight) daily in deionized drinking water for 21 days. Cellular response was measured by delayed hypersensitivity response to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) and phytohaemagglutin-inpurified (PHA- p) tests. In DNFB test, the mean increase in skin thickness and induration sites was significantly lower in chromium- induced birds. Likewise, the mean increase in skin thickness and induration sites were also significantly lower in chromium- treated chickens than those of controls in PHA-p test. There was marked reduction in sizes of all lymphoid organs with Iymphocytolysis and/or depletion of lymphoid cell population. The mean antibody titres in the chromium-treated birds immunized with Ranikhet disease virus as antigen, were significantly lowered. The results demonstrated that long exposure to hexavalent chromium produced immunosuppression in broiler chickens.
Immunosuppression, Chickens, Chromium
