Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #337818
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Prevent and Control Disease Outbreaks Caused by Emerging Strains of Avian Influenza Viruses

Location: Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research

Title: Immunity to current H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses: From vaccines to adaptive immunity in wild birds

Author
item Kapczynski, Darrell

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2017
Publication Date: 3/8/2017
Citation: Kapczynski, D.R. 2017. Immunity to current H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses: From vaccines to adaptive immunity in wild birds. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Following the 2014-2015 outbreaks of H5N2 and H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the U.S., studies were performed to assess the immunity required for protection against future outbreaks should they occur. We assessed the ability of vaccines to induce protection of chickens and turkeys against these viruses. In addition, we determined if adaptive immunity following exposure to live low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) could protect mallard ducks from infection with the HPAI viruses. Vaccine results demonstrated variability in terms of efficacy and reductions in viral shedding after challenge. As expected, the best vaccine in terms of protection and reduced shedding was the homologous virus containing the identical hemagglutinin gene found in the HPAI virus. However, commercially available recombinant vaccines also provided good protection and exist as options for the control of HPAI in poultry. In ducks, it was demonstrated that previous exposure to LPAI induced immune responses that were able to completely inhibit HPAI infection. The results extend our knowledge of immunity against HPAI viruses in birds.