ARS | Publication request: Marek’s disease virus evolution in specific MHC haplotypes.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 24, 2012
Publication Date: June 24, 2012
Citation: Hunt, H.D., Dunn, J.R. 2012. Marek’s disease virus evolution in specific MHC haplotypes [abstract]. 9th International Symposium on Marek's Disease and Avian Herpesviruses, June 24-28, 2012, Freie Universitat Berlin. p. 41.

Technical Abstract: The clinical nature of Marek’s disease has changed over the last five decades. The pathogenicity of the Marek’s disease virus (MDV) has evolved from the relatively mild strains (mMDV) observed in the 1960s to the more severe strains labeled very virulent plus (vv+MDV) currently observed in today’s outbreaks. Understanding the influence of host genetics, specifically the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), on virus evolution may provide insights into slowing the evolution of the field virus toward more virulent pathotypes. We used a bacterial artificial chromosome derived MDV (Md5B40BAC) clone as the starting virus to back pass (BP) through resistant (MHC-B21) and susceptible (MHC-B13) "semi-congenic" Line 0 chickens. We conclude that MDV evolution toward greater virulence occurs in both susceptible and resistant MHC haplotypes but the resulting increase in pathogenicity is constrained by the resistant MHC haplotype.