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Title: Intranasal application of alpha interferon reduces morbidity associated with low pathogenic avian influenza infection

Author
item Kapczynski, Darrell
item JIANG, HAI JUN - China Agricultural University

Submitted to: Avian Immunology Research Group Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/27/2010
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Type I interferons, including interferon alpha (IFN-alpha), are expressed rapidly after viral infection, and represent a first line of defense initiated by the innate immune response. Following infection of chickens with avian influenza virus (AIV), transcription of IFN-alpha is quickly up regulated along with a myriad of other immune-related genes. In these studies, we determined the protective potential of IFN-alpha applied to birds prior to exposure to the H6N2 strain A/Chicken/California/K0301417/2003 and H7N2 strain A/Turkey/Virginia/4259/2002 low pathogenic AIV. Intranasal application with IFN-alpha prior to and during active AIV infection reduced clinical signs of disease, including weight loss and fever, compared to PBS treated controls. In addition, the incidence of viral shedding and viral titers from oral swabs was significantly reduced in IFN-alpha treated birds. Taken together, these studies show that IFN-alpha can protect chickens from disease associated with low pathogenic AIV and reduce the risk of transmission through decreased shedding. While this is a first step in determining innate protection against AIV in chickens, the effector molecules responsible for enhanced protection as well as scope of strains susceptible to IFN-alpha treatment remains to be determined.