Eimeria tenella: construction of a recombinant fowlpox virus expressing rhomboid gene and its protective efficacy against homologous infection.
A recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV) expressing the Eimeria tenella rhomboid gene was constructed and its protective efficacy against homologous infection in chickens determined. Three-day-old-specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were immunized s.c. with 10(2) plaque forming units (PFU), 10(4) PFU, or 10(6) PFU of rFPV-rhomboid, and challenged with 5x10(4) homologous sporulated oocysts 14 days post-immunization (p.i.). The specific antibody response and lymphocyte proliferation were measured 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks p.i. Oocyst output, body weight gains and lesion scores were measured to evaluate the protective effects of immunization. rFPV-rhomboid elicited a specific humoral immune response and stimulated proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The lesion scores in groups vaccinated with rFPV-rhomboid were significantly higher than in other groups. At the same time, rFPV-rhomboid improved body weight significantly compared with other groups. Immunization with rFPV-rhomboid reduced oocyst shedding significantly, resulting in a protection rate of 39.6%, 41.1% or 41.7% given a dose of 10(2) PFU, 10(4) PFU, or 10(6) PFU of rFPV-rhomboid, respectively. These results indicated that rFPV can induce immune responses and offer partial protection of chickens against E. tenella challenge.
Yang
Guilian
G
Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, JiLin University, 5333 Xi'an Road, Changchun 130062, People's Republic of China.
Li
Jianhua
J
Zhang
Xichen
X
Zhao
Quan
Q
Liu
Quan
Q
Gong
Pengtao
P
D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D002432:Cecum / Q000473:pathology; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D016786:Eimeria tenella / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D005587:Fowlpox virus / Q000235:genetics; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000592:standards*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000592:standards; D015430:Weight Gain
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases