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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory » Research » Research Project #438225

Research Project: Controlling Poultry Diseases to Reduce Antibiotics

Location: Animal Biosciences & Biotechnology Laboratory

Project Number: 8042-32000-115-008-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 15, 2020
End Date: Sep 14, 2025

Objective:
To develop antibiotic alternative strategies against coccidiosis and NE using recombinant vaccines/antimicrobial peptides to induce long-lasting memory response and lower antigens of coccidia.

Approach:
We have sequenced potential vaccine antigens of Eimeria parasites and virulent C. perfringens field strains and identified virulent genes that cause disease pathogenesis. Our goal will be to clones these vaccine genes and evaluate the vaccine potential against coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis. Using novel combination strategy using coccidiosis/C. perfringens antigens, antimicrobial peptide and chicken cytokines, we will develop novel delivery vaccination strategy that will enhance adaptive part of host immunity that lasts long and reduces local inflammation, thus enhancing host capability to fight the infections in commercial broiler chickens.