title: Synergy of subgroup J avian leukosis virus and Eimeria tenella to increase pathogenesis in specific-pathogen-free chickens.
abstract: To investigate the effects of co-infections of subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) and Eimeria tenella on the pathogenesis in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) white leghorn chickens, groups of chickens were infected with ALV-J strain NX0101 at one day of age or with E. tenella at 14 days of age or both. The control group was left uninfected and was mock-inoculated with phosphate buffer saline (PBS). Mortality rates, body weights, cecal lesions, and viremia of infected chickens in each group were evaluated. Immune status was evaluated by measuring several parameters: immune organ weight/body weight index, specific humoral responses to inactivated NDV vaccine and to inoculated E. tenella, proportions of blood CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8α+ lymphocytes and transcriptional levels of cytokines in blood and cecal tonsils. The results show that co-infections of ALV-J and E. tenella induced a higher mortality rate and a lower body weight in SPF chickens compared to single-pathogen infection. In co-infected chickens, ALV-J accelerated the disease symptoms induced by E. tenella, and the E. tenella extended the ALV-J viremia. Thymus atrophy, decrease in the humoral response levels to pathogens and the NDV vaccine, modifications in the blood lymphocyte sub-populations and transcriptional cytokine disorders were found in co-infected chickens compared to chickens infected with one pathogen alone and to controls. We underline a synergy between ALV-J and E. tenella that results in increasing pathogenesis in SPF chickens.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China.
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China.
authors.forename: Linzhen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China.
authors.forename: Jiazhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China.
authors.forename: Xingjiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China.
authors.forename: Fangkun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China. Electronic address: ssu6307@163.com.
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271017, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Agricultural University, 61 Daizong Street, Taian City, Shandong Province 271018, China. Electronic address: xmzhao66@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001353:Avian Leukosis / Q000209:etiology; D001354:Avian Leukosis Virus / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002645:Chickens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D060085:Coinfection / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D016786:Eimeria tenella / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Co-infections; Eimeria tenella; Immunology; Pathogenesis; Subgroup J avian leukosis virus