Vector vaccines for control of avian influenza

Authors: Kapczynski, Darrell

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2017
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Vaccines play a critical role in the poultry industries efforts at disease control and prevention. However, providing safe, efficacious, and cost-effective vaccines remains a constant issue to the industry. In addition, many viruses undergo mutation in the field requiring vaccine adjustments. Recent advances in avian immunology, molecular biology, genetics and pathogenesis have greatly increased our understanding of the host-pathogen interaction and have led to the development of a variety of new vector vaccine strategies for producing more effective vaccines. Protective immunity against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) largely depends on the development of an antibody response against a specific subtype of challenge virus. Historically, the use of antigenically closely matched isolates has proven efficacious when used as inactivated vaccines. More recently, the use of recombinant live AI vaccines expressing a hemagglutinin (HA) gene from an individual isolate have proven effective against multiple lineages of HPAI. While the use of conventional killed AI vaccines to induce serum antibodies is tried and true, we know that vector vaccines can also target cellular or mucosal immunity which will enhance efficacy by stimulating multiple arms of the immune system. Thus with an improved understanding of the requirements of protective immunity, it should be possible to develop vector vaccines with increased efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness for those disease where current vaccines are not optimal.