INFLUENCE OF LEVAMISOLE ON ANTIBODY RESPONSE TO NEWCASTLE DISEASE VACCINATIONS IN CHEMICALLY IMMUNOS PRESSED BROILER CHICKENS

摘要

Levamisole hydrochloride, an imidazothiazole group, was initially introduced as an antihelmintic drug with effects against a variety of nematodes of chickens, sheep, cattle, pigs, horses, dogs aand cats (Alexander, 2003). It has a paralyzing action on nematodes that is due to sustained muscle contraction and it also acts as a ganglion stimulant. Levamisole being a widely used veterinary antihelmintic, has been recognized to concurrently enhance immune responses (Jiangmei et o/., 2006) in stressed, old or chronically ill animals (Mohri et al., 2005). Its use in human has also been described in asthmatic (Almeida et al., 1999) and cancer patients (Stevenson et al, 1991) as well as in children (Demirci et a/.,2005).