Review of respiratory syndromes in poultry: pathogens, prevention, and control measures

Respiratory syndromes (RS) include a variety of diseases that lead to respiratory dysfunction, resulting in significant economic losses for the poultry industry. Infectious agents and unfavourable environmental factors cause these respiratory diseases, and rapid transmission, high morbidity rates, and frequent mixed infections characterise them. The challenge in preventing and treating these diseases arises from the complexity of their triggers and the potential for secondary infections. Current vaccines often do not provide effective prevention, and the overuse of certain medications can lead to increased bacterial resistance, complicating prevention and control efforts. This review article examines the common sources of respiratory infections in poultry flocks, including infectious bronchitis virus, avian influenza virus, Newcastle disease virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, avian metapneumovirus, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Haemophilus paragallinarum, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, and Chlamydia. It also considers non-infectious factors such as adverse environmental conditions and management errors. The article provides an updated, comprehensive overview of widespread and economically significant poultry respiratory pathogens. It briefly discusses detection technology and vaccine development based on the transmission characteristics of RS. Furthermore, it explores prevention and control measures such as combination drug strategies and antibiotic alternatives to enhance understanding and implementation of effective disease prevention and control measures.