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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Avian Disease and Oncology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #303585
Title: Influence of Marek’s disease virus on the core-gut microbiome of chickens resistant or susceptible to Marek’s disease

Author
item PERUMBAKKAM, SUDEEP - Michigan State University
item Hunt, Henry
item Cheng, Hans

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2014
Publication Date: 7/20/2014
Citation: Perumbakkam, S., Hunt, H.D., Cheng, H.H. 2014. Influence of Marek’s disease virus on the core-gut microbiome of chickens resistant or susceptible to Marek’s disease [abstract]. In: Proceeding of 10th International Symposium on Marek's Disease and Avian Herpesviruses, July 20-23, 2014, East Lansing, Michigan. p. 51.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Marek’s disease virus (MDV) is an a-herpesvirus and the causative agent for the lymphoproliferative disease of chickens known as Marek’s disease (MD). Worldwide poultry industry losses due to MD amount to $1-2 billion per year. Presently, there is limited knowledge on the potential influence of MDV on the core-gut microbiome in chicken. Using established MDV resistant (63) and susceptible (72) chicken lines, changes to the core-gut community structure after MDV infection were studied. Results indicate no phyla level differences between infected and control birds in either chicken line. However, there were significant differences (p <0.005) at the genera level within and between resistant and susceptible lines. These differences were associated with abundance differences in operational taxonomic units (OTUs) between genera, rather than presence/absence of genera. The gut of resistant uninfected birds colonized slower, when compared to their uninfected susceptible counterparts. There were no differences in colonization within MDV infected resistant or susceptible chicken lines, suggesting that MDV infection does not change the number of OTUs present in the chicken. Beta-diversity analysis showed differences in community structure in both the resistant and susceptible birds providing evidence that MDV does change community structure. Further investigation and microbial isolation efforts are being undertaken to isolate these potential bacteria.