Marek's disease vaccination of chickens.
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Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a worldwide poultry disease caused by the alpha toxin-producing bacterium Clostridium perfringens. Disease risk factors include concurrent coccidial infection and the dietary use of cereal grains high in nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), such as wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Outbreaks of NE can be prevented or treated by the use of in-feed antibiotics. However, the current debate regarding the prophylactic use of antibiotics in animal diets necessitates a better understanding of factors that influence intestinal colonization by C. perfringens as well as the pathophysiological consequences of its growth. We report a study with a chick model of NE, which used molecular (16S rRNA gene [16S rDNA]) and culture-based microbiological techniques to investigate the impact of the macrolide antibiotic tylosin phosphate (100 ppm) and a dietary NSP (pectin) on the community structure of the small intestinal microbiota relative to colonization by C. perfringens. The effects of tylosin and pectin on mucolytic activity of the microbiota and C. perfringens colonization and their relationship to pathological indices of NE were of particular interest. The data demonstrate that tylosin reduced the percentage of mucolytic bacteria in general and the concentration of C. perfringens in particular, and these responses correlated in a temporal fashion with a reduction in the occurrence of NE lesions and an improvement in barrier function. The presence of pectin did not significantly affect the variables measured. Thus, it appears that tylosin can control NE through its modulation of C. perfringens colonization and the mucolytic activity of the intestinal microbiota.
Fluoroquinolone use in poultry production may select for resistant Escherichia coli that can be transmitted to humans. To define the prevalence and virulence potential of poultry-associated, quinolone-resistant E. coli in the United States, 169 retail chicken products from the Minneapolis-St. Paul area (1999 to 2000) were screened for nalidixic acid (Nal)-resistant E. coli. Sixty-two (37%) products yielded Nal-resistant E. coli. From 55 products that yielded both Nal-resistant and susceptible E. coli, two isolates (one resistant, one susceptible) per sample were further characterized. Twenty-three (21%) of the 110 E. coli isolates (13 resistant, 10 susceptible) satisfied criteria for extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), i.e., exhibited >or=2 of pap (P fimbriae), sfa/foc (S/F1C fimbriae), afa/dra (Dr binding adhesins), iutA (aerobactin receptor), and kpsMT II (group 2 capsule synthesis). Compared with other isolates, ExPEC isolates more often derived from virulence-associated E. coli phylogenetic groups B2 or D (74% versus 32%; P < 0.001) and exhibited more ExPEC-associated virulence markers (median, 10.0 versus 4.0; P < 0.001). In contrast, the Nal-resistant and -susceptible populations were indistinguishable according to all characteristics analyzed, including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles. These findings indicate that Nal-resistant E. coli is prevalent in retail poultry products and that a substantial minority of such strains represent potential human pathogens. The similarity of the Nal-resistant and -susceptible populations suggests that they derive from the same source population, presumably the avian fecal flora, with Nal resistance emerging by spontaneous mutation as a result of fluoroquinolone exposure.
Certified Campylobacter-free poultry products have been produced in Denmark since 2002, the first example of fresh (unprocessed and nonfrozen) chickens labeled "Campylobacter free." This success occurred partly through use of a 4-hour gel-based PCR testing scheme on fecal swabs. In this study, a faster, real-time PCR approach was validated in comparative and collaborative trials, based on recommendations from the Nordic system for validation of alternative microbiological methods (NordVal). The comparative real-time PCR trial was performed in comparison to two reference culture protocols on naturally contaminated samples (99 shoe covers, 101 cloacal swabs, 102 neck skins from abattoirs, and 100 retail neck skins). Culturing included enrichment in both Bolton and Preston broths followed by isolation on Preston agar and mCCDA. In one or both culture protocols, 169 samples were identified as positive. The comparative trial resulted in relative accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 98%, 95%, and 97%, respectively. The collaborative trial included nine laboratories testing neck skin, cloacal swab, and shoe cover samples, spiked with low, medium, and high concentrations of Campylobacter jejuni. Valid results were obtained from six of the participating laboratories. Accuracy for high levels was 100% for neck skin and cloacal swab samples. For low levels, accuracy was 100% and 92% for neck skin and cloacal swab samples, respectively; however, detection in shoe cover samples failed. A second collaborative trial, with an optimized DNA extraction procedure, gave 100% accuracy results for all three spiking levels. Finally, on-site validation at the abattoir on a flock basis was performed on 400 samples. Real-time PCR correctly identified 10 of 20 flocks as positive; thus, the method fulfilled the NordVal validation criteria and has since been implemented at a major abattoir.
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The indirect hemagglutination and immunodiffusion tests were compared for detection of antigen and antibody to JM strain of leukosis virus infection between S- and K-line chickens. The indirect hemagglutination test was more sensitive than the immunodiffusion test for detecting the smallest amount of viral antigen and corresponding antibody in the plasma of infected chickens. The Cornell S-line had higher levels of antigen and antibody as compared with the Cornell K-line during the 20-week experimental period.
Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale is a bacterial pathogen known for causing respiratory disease in poultry. In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that cross-protective immunity against different O. rhinotracheale serotypes can be induced by live vaccination. Sera from these live-vaccinated and cross-protected birds were used to identify new vaccine targets by screening an O. rhinotracheale expression library. Out of 20,000 screened plaques, a total of 30 cross-reactive clones were selected for further analysis. Western blot analysis and DNA sequencing identified eight different open reading frames. The genes encoding the eight cross-reactive antigens were amplified, cloned in an expression vector, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Purified recombinant proteins with a molecular mass ranging from 35.9 kDa to 62.9 kDa were mixed and tested as a subunit vaccine for (cross-)protection against challenge with homologous and heterologous O. rhinotracheale serotypes in chickens. Subunit vaccination resulted in the production of antibodies reactive to the recombinant proteins on Western blot, and this eight-valent vaccine conferred both homologous and heterologous protection against O. rhinotracheale challenge in chickens.
Since 1996, the National Salmonella Reference Laboratory of Germany has received an increasing number of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Paratyphi B isolates. Nearly all of these belonged to the dextrorotatory tartrate-positive variant (S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Paratyphi B dT(+)), formerly called S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Java. A total of 55 selected contemporary and older S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Paratyphi B dT(+) isolates were analyzed by plasmid profiling, antimicrobial resistance testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, IS200 profiling, and PCR-based detection of integrons. The results showed a high genetic heterogeneity among 10 old strains obtained from 1960 to 1993. In the following years, however, new distinct multiresistant S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Paratyphi B dT(+) clones emerged, and one clonal lineage successfully displaced the older ones. Since 1994, 88% of the isolates investigated were multiple drug resistant. Today, a particular clone predominates in some German poultry production lines, poultry products, and various other sources. It was also detected in contemporary isolates from two neighboring countries as well.
Marek's disease virus recovered from the feather follicle of infected chickens was found to be infectious for chickens in cell-free preparations. The virus replicated in epithelial cells of the germinative layer of the feather follicle epidermis, producing both intranuclear and round or diffuse cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the infected cells. It was found at this site 2 weeks postinoculation and prior to the development of tumor or other gross lesions. In the nucleus, many naked and a few enveloped herpesvirions were found, whereas the cytoplasm contained predominantly enveloped herpesvirions, which were usually within the cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Approximately 80% of the extracellular virions were enveloped. Studies with both virulent and avirulent strains of the virus revealed a relationship between virulence, contagiousness, and replication of the virus in the feather follicle.
Pathogenic Marek's disease viruses (MDVs) have two head-to-tail copies of a 132-bp repeat. As MDV is serially passaged in cell culture, the virus becomes attenuated and the number of copies of the 132-bp repeat increases from 2 to often more than 20 copies. To determine the role of the repeats in attenuation, we used five overlapping cosmid clones that spanned the MDV genome to reconstitute infectious virus (rMd5). By mutating the appropriate cosmids, we generated clones of infectious MDVs that contained zero copies of the 132-bp repeats, rMd5(Delta132); nine copies of the 132-bp repeats, rMd5(9-132); and nine copies of the 132-bp repeats inserted in the reverse orientation, rMd5(rev9-132). After two passages in cell culture, wild-type Md5, rMd5, and rMd5(Delta132) were stable. However, rMd5(9-132) and rMd5(rev9-132) contained a population of viruses that contained from 3 to over 20 copies of the repeats. A major 1.8-kb mRNA, containing two copies of the 132-bp repeat, was present in wild-type Md5 and rMd5 but was not present in rMd5(Delta132), rMd5(9-132), rMd5(rev9-132), or an attenuated MDV. Instead, the RNAs transcribed from the 132-bp repeat region in rMd5(9-132) and rMd5(rev9-132) closely resembled the pattern of RNAs transcribed in attenuated MDVs. When inoculated into susceptible day-old chicks, all viruses produced various lesions. Thus, expansion of the number of copies of 132-bp repeats, which accompanies attenuation, is not sufficient in itself to attenuate pathogenic MDVs.
Marek's disease, a lymphoproliferative disease of chickens, is caused by an alphaherpesvirus, Marek's disease virus (MDV). This virus encodes a virokine, vIL-8, with general homology to cellular CXC chemokines such as interleukin-8 (IL-8) and Gro-alpha. To study the function of vIL-8 gene, we deleted both copies of vIL-8 residing in the terminal repeat long and internal repeat long region of the viral genome and generated a mutant virus with vIL-8 deleted, rMd5/DeltavIL-8. Growth kinetics study showed that vIL-8 gene is dispensable for virus replication in cell culture. In vivo, the vIL-8 gene is involved in early cytolytic infections in lymphoid organs, as evidenced by limited viral antigen expression of rMd5/DeltavIL-8. However, the rMd5/DeltavIL-8 virus is unimpaired in virus replication in the feather follicle epithelium. vIL-8 does not appear to be important for establishment of latency, since rMd5/DeltavIL-8 and the wild-type virus have similar viremia titers at 14 days postinfection, a period when the virus titer comes primarily from reactivated latent genomes. Nevertheless, because of the impaired cytolytic infections, the overall transformation efficiency of the virus with vIL-8 deleted is much lower, as reflected by the reduced number of transformed cells at 5 weeks postinoculation and the presence of fewer gross tumors. Importantly, the revertant virus that restored the expression of vIL-8 gene also restored the wild-type phenotype, indicating the deficient phenotypes are results of vIL-8 deletion. One of the interesting differences between the MDV vIL-8 gene and its cellular counterpart is the presence of a DKR (Asp-Lys-Arg) motif instead of ELR (Glu-Leu-Arg) preceding the invariable CXC motif. To study the significance of this variation, we generated recombinant MDV, rMd5/vIL-8-ELR, carrying the ELR motif. Both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that the DKR motif is as competent as ELR in pathogenesis of MDV.
A survey of routine mortality was carried out on six different broiler sites. A total of 535 individual post mortem examinations was carried out. The chief cause of mortality on all six sites was colisepticaemia. Fatty liver and kidney syndrome caused significant loss on three of the six sites and on three of them a low incidence of an oedema syndrome was of interest. Salmonella senftenberg was isolated during the first four weeks from the intestines of chickens from five of the six sites but on none of them was this occurrence associated with any manifestations of disease. The vaccination procedures against Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis were not producing adequate immunity against a possible challenge by a virulent virus of either although the administration of the vaccines appeared to be causing stress sufficiently severe to be one of the factors predisposing to a high incidence of colisepticaemia.
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An experimental oil emulsion Newcastle disease vaccine was evaluated for its efficacy in broiler chickens. A group of chickens vaccinated at one day old with a live lentogenic Newcastle disease vaccine and subsequently revaccinated at three and eight weeks old with the experimental oil emulsion vaccine showed satisfactory haemagglutination inhibition antibody response which persisted for 18 weeks. Between 90 and 100 per cent of the vaccinated chickens were protected when challenged with the velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease virus. Although the vaccinated chickens were protected against clinical disease, virus could be isolated from a number of birds. By day 10 to 12 after challenge all the chickens were free from Newcastle disease infection.
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