Abstract
BackgroundThis study aimed at investigating a potential effect caused by coccidia on the immune response to vaccine- and very virulent infectious bursal disase virus (vvIBDV) in SPF chickens.MethodsTwo groups of three weeks old SPF chickens were vaccinated prior to inoculation with coccidia and challenge with virulent IBDV, all within a period of eight days. Two control groups were similarly treated, except that challenge with field virus was omitted in one group while inoculation with coccidia was omitted in the other group. Clinical signs, lesions in the intestines caused by coccidia, lesions in the bursa of Fabricius caused by IBDV, IBDV-antibody titres, and virus detection by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were compared among the groups. Lymphoid tissues and swab samples were analysed by general RT-PCR, and positive results were identified by strain specific duplex (DPX) RT-PCR.ResultsIn the tripple-infected groups, vaccine strain IBDV was detected in spleen and thymus tissues, and no field virus was detected in bursa samples, contrary to the double-infected groups.ConclusionThe results suggest an enhancing effect on the immune response caused by subclinical coccidiosis and vvIBDV acting in concert.
Highlights
This study aimed at investigating a potential effect caused by coccidia on the immune response to vaccine- and very virulent infectious bursal disase virus in SPF chickens
The results suggest an enhancing effect on the immune response caused by subclinical coccidiosis and very virulent infectious bursal disase virus (vvIBDV) acting in concert
Subsequently named infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a disease in young chickens caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), a double stranded, bi-segmented RNA virus [1]
Summary
This study aimed at investigating a potential effect caused by coccidia on the immune response to vaccine- and very virulent infectious bursal disase virus (vvIBDV) in SPF chickens. Subsequently named infectious bursal disease (IBD) is a disease in young chickens caused by infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), a double stranded, bi-segmented RNA virus [1]. Infection with virulent IBDV in three to six weeks old chickens causes high morbidity and mortality, followed by immunosuppression in surviving chickens [8]. The immunosuppression may cause increased susceptibility to different antigens including Salmonella [10], infectious bronchitis [11], Newcastle disease [12] and E. tenella [13,14]. The reverse situation, the impact of different infections on the course of an IBDV infection, vaccination included, remains to be investigated
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