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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #411195
Research Project: Host-pathogen Interactions and Control Strategies for Bacterial Respiratory Pathogens in Cattle

Location: Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research

Title: Pasteurella multocida filamentous hemagglutinin B1 (fhaB1) gene is not involved with avian fowl cholera pathogenesis in turkey poults

Author
item Dassanayake, Rohana
item Briggs, Robert
item Kaplan, Bryan
item MENGHWAR, HARISH - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item Kanipe, Carly
item Casas, Eduardo
item Tatum, Fred

Submitted to: BMC Veterinary Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/2025
Publication Date: 3/26/2025
Citation: Dassanayake, R.P., Briggs, R.E., Kaplan, B.S., Menghwar, H., Kanipe, C.R., Casas, E., Tatum, F.M. 2025. Pasteurella multocida filamentous hemagglutinin B1 (fhaB1) gene is not involved with avian fowl cholera pathogenesis in turkey poults. BMC Veterinary Research. 21(1). Article 207. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-04668-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-04668-1

Interpretive Summary: Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of fowl cholera (FC) in avian species including chickens and turkeys. P. multocida can cause both chronic and acute forms of infection in birds resulting in high morbidity rates and economic loss. The bacterium harbors several virulence factors and, therefore, understanding the molecular basis of pathogenesis will advance the development of safer and more efficacious vaccines against FC. Here we investigated the role of the filamentous hemagglutinin B1 protein of P. multocida. A mutant with an inactive filamentous hemagglutinin B1 protein was produced. This mutant strain did not show any attenuation in turkeys when administered intranasally and/or intramuscularly. These observations suggest that highly conserved filamentous hemagglutinin B1 protein is not necessary for the development of acute FC disease in turkeys.

Technical Abstract: Pasteurella multocida is the causative agent of fowl cholera (FC) in avian species. It has been previously demonstrated that P. multocida fhaB2 (filamentous hemagglutinin B2 gene) is an important virulence factor in the development of FC disease. In the current study, we examined the potential role of fhaB1 in FC disease development. An fhaB1 deletion mutant was constructed in P. multocida avian strain P-1059 (A:3). The fhaB1 mutant and the wild-type parent strain were assessed for virulence in turkey poults. Inactivation of fhaB1 did not reduce virulence in either intranasal or intramuscular challenge routes indicating that this large highly conserved protein is not necessary for the development of acute FC disease in turkeys.