title: Protection against avian metapneumovirus subtype C in turkeys immunized via the respiratory tract with inactivated virus.
abstract: Avian metapneumovirus subtype C (aMPV/C) causes a severe upper respiratory tract (URT) infection in turkeys. Turkeys were inoculated oculonasally with inactivated aMPV/C adjuvanted with synthetic double-stranded RNA polyriboinosinic polyribocytidylic acid (Poly IC). Immunized turkeys had elevated numbers of mucosal IgA+ cells in the URT and increased levels of virus-specific IgG and IgA in the lachrymal fluid and IgG in the serum. After 7 or 21 days post immunization, turkeys were challenged oculonasally with pathogenic aMPV/C. Immunized groups were protected against respiratory lesions induced by the challenge virus. Further, the viral copy number of the challenge virus in the URT were significantly lower in the immunized turkeys than in the unimmunized turkeys (P<0.05). These results showed that inactivated aMPV/C administered by the respiratory route induced protective immunity against pathogenic virus challenge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, 1971 Commonwealth Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Ra Mi
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khatri
authors.forename: Jagdev M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D029121:Metapneumovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018184:Paramyxoviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D014422:Turkeys; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D011070:Poly I-C