1. IN-VIVO EFFICACY OF CRUDE EXTRACTS
OF CAPSICUM ANNUM IN INDIGENOUS
CHICKENS INFECTED WITH NEWCASTLE
DISEASE VIRUS
By
Dr. CHARLES LAGU
And
PROFESSOR FREDERICK .I.B. KAYANJA
ALiCE, 2014

2. Background
• The greatest constraint to village chicken
production is Newcastle disease. It decimates
up to 80-85% of the total flock per household
annually.
• The vaccination includes use of thermo labile
and thermo stable Newcastle disease vaccines.
The traditional system generally faces
challenges related to maintaining the cold
chain facility for thermo labile vaccines due to
lack of electricity.
• The thermo stable vaccines, which could solve
this problem, are difficult to access

3. Background
• The majority of the small holder farmers keep small
numbers (5-20) per households.
• A number of medicinal plant preparations are
commonly used by smallholder farmers to control
Newcastle disease.
• It was however noted that scientific validation of the
effectiveness of the crude extracts of Capsicum
annum in Uganda and particularly SWAEZ of Uganda
is unknown.
• The study aims to evaluate the effectievness of crude
extracts of Capsicum annum in indigenous Chicken
affected by the Newcastle disease.

4. MATERIALS AND METHODS
AA
Bought 400 local chicks from a
supplier from Kampala
BBThe Birds were reared at RuharoWard,
Mbarara
CC
The day old chicks were not vaccinated
against NCD
DD
Chicks placed in a brooder for 3 weeks and given
optimal conditions fed on chick and duck mash
Rearing of the
experimental
chickens

5. Rearing of the experimental chickens
The chicks after
attaining
2 months were
released outside to
scavengeA 4 months
experimental
trials commenced
Birds were
debeaked to
Prevent cases of
cannibalismThe birds were
kept till 4 months
unvaccinated
against NCD

6. Experimental design
• Two replicate experiments were conducted. In the first
experiment 90 local chickens were labelled using
plastic wing-tags made of local materials. Innovated by
the researcher.
• The birds were weighed and screened for antibodies
against NCD using the haemaglutination inhibition test
(HI) (Allan and Gough, 1974).
• The chickens were randomly assorted into five trial
groups namely TG1 (pre-treated and infected), TG2
(infected and untreated), TG3 (infected and treated),
TG4 (uninfected and untreated) and TG5 (Infected and
vaccinated with NCD).
• Groups TG1-TG5 had 18 chickens per treatment group.

7. Identification of the birds using plastic wing tags

8. Experimental design
• In the second experiment, 90 chickens were
again randomly allocated as per first
treatment groups. The birds were screened
for antibodies against Newcastle disease
(NCD) virus and were assorted into five
groups. RG1 (pre-treated and infected), RG2
(infected and untreated), RG3 (infected and
treated), RG4 (uninfected and untreated) and
RG5 (Infected and vaccinated with NCD).
Groups RG1-RG5 each has 18 chickens.

9. Experimental design
• See the designed flow chart

10. Inoculum for infection
• The local chickens of TG1, TG2,TG3 and TG5
(experiment 1) and RG1, RG2, RG3 and RG5
(experiment 2) were infected with 1ml of 9 log
10 NCD virus containing an effective infective
dose of virulent strain 105.6
.
• The Pathology Department of the College of
Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and
Biosecurity (COVAB) provided the viral strain
that was formerly isolated from local chickens
in South Western Agro-ecological Zone
(SWAEZ), Uganda and characterized as
Viscerotropic velogenic (VV)

11. Inoculum for infection
• The virulence of the viral isolates were tested
by first inoculating the virus into
embroyonated chicken eggs causing viral
multiplication that led to the death of the
embryo
• Preparation of Capsicum annum
• Infection and treatment schedule
• Parameter

12. Parameter
• Following inoculation, clinical signs and
mortality rates were monitored daily and
postmortem examination was done on dead
chickens.
• Live body weights and blood samples were
obtained from chickens on days 0,4,6,12,16
and 20.
• The serum obtained was investigated for
antibodies against Newcastle disease virus
using the haemglutination inhibition test (HI)
(Allan and Gough, 1974).

13. Parameter
• The standard antigen used in HI was prepared
locally at the Pathology and Central Virology
Laboratory, COVAB, Makerere University.
Most measurements were concentrated on
days 0-12 as 80% of the chickens in all groups
was expected to have died by day 12. The
serum samples were tested and results in
addition to replicate results were compared to
ensure reliability of the results from the
laboratories at COVAB.

14. Clinical signs
Birds drowsing in the pens Swollen eyes due to NCD
Typical case of torticolis in one
of the affected birds with NCD
Other signs; drooping feathers,
anaemia, greenish
diarrhea, respiratory rales.

15. Mortality
NO Treatment group 1 Number
under test
per group
Mortality
(%) for
replicate I
Mortality
(%) for
replicate II
1
Infected and treated
(TG3 and RG3)
18 3 (20%) 4 (20%)
2
Vaccinated with NCD
and Infected NCD virus
(TG5 and RG5)
18 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
3
Infected and untreated
(TG2 and RG2)
18 9 (50%) 11 (60%)
4
Pretreated and infected
(TG1 and RG1)
18 0 (0%) 0 (0%)
5
Uninfected and untreated
(TG4 and RG4)
18 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

16. Mortality

17. Body weights
• It was observed that the body weights in the
three groups i.e. infected and treated
(TG3&RG3); infected and untreated
(TG2&RG2) and infected and vaccinated
against NCD (TG5&RG5) that had shown
clinical signs decreased significantly (p<0.05).
It was however observed that among the
uninfected and untreated (TG4&RG4) and pre-
treated and infected (TG1&RG1), there was
insignificant weight decrease (p>0.05).

18. Gross Pathological Lesions
Swollen cecum Greenish diarrhoea
Underdeveloped follicles Haemorrhagic enteritis

19. Histopathological lesions (TG2&RG2)
•
Masssive mononuclear cell
infiltration in the heart
Intestinal ulcerative enteritis
Fatty infiltration and haemorrhages
in the kidney
Liver haemorrhages

20. Histopathological lesions (TG2&RG2)
Lung severe haemorrhages Spleen congestion,
hemorrhages and
perivascular necrosis & Oedema

21. Antibody levels
Treatment
Groups
Period of titre values
monitoring over one month
period
Sep21 Dec5 Dec9 Dec14 Dec27 Jan7
Infected and treated
(TG3&RG3) 12 12 616 1640
1066.
7 704
Infected and vaccinated
with NCD (TG5&RG5) 17 17 746.7 871.1
1208.
9 657.8
Infected and untreated
(TG2&RG2) 34.5 34.5 816 880
1394.
3 682.5
Pre-treated and infected
(TG1&RG1) 208 208 376 864 1024 1024
Uninfected and untreated
(TG4&RG4) 12 12 80 208 462.2 374

22. Graphical representation of antibody titre
values over observation period among pre-
treated, infected and treated group

23. Graphical representation of titre values over
observation period

24. Haematological results for treatment groups
• Biochemical results for treatment groups
• Generally there were minimal disturbances in
the total blood cell count and biochemical
parameters.
Conclusion and recommendations
• Capsicum annum is a very useful herbal
medicine that can be used to control the
outbreak of Newcastle disease.

25. Conclusion and recommendations
• The use of Capsicum annum is useful if birds
are identified before they are attacked by
Newcastle disease virus.
• The use of Capsicum annum must follow right
concentration, dose and standards in mixing
the extracts.
• The extracts should be pre administered
(prophylactic treatment) before the outbreak
of the NCD. Alcohol extracts performed
better than aqueous extracts.

26. Conclusion and recommendations
• In groups especially the infected and
untreated (TG2&RG2), there was up to 60%
mortality in the affected groups.
• For the infected groups, it was clear that NCD
was a big problem to the farmers.
Prophylactic treatment with Capsicum annum
(TG1&RG1) by at least one week before
infection reduces mortality by over 90%.
• Thermo-labile and thermo-stable vaccines still
works except its access and use among
peasant farmers is still problematic

27. Conclusion and recommendations
• The study revealed that with increasing time
post viral inoculation in the test birds, the
antibody titres correspondingly increased
drastically hence offering solid immunity.
• The study recommends farmer friendly
packages developed to guide farmers in the
administration of the herbal Capsicum annum
concoctions and their popularization.