Gut microbiota is associated with protection against Marek's disease virus infection in chickens

Marek's Disease Virus (MDV) infects chickens via respiratory route and causes lymphomas in internal organs including gastrointestinal tract. MDV infection causes a shift in the gut micmbiota composition. However, interactions between the gut microbiota and immune responses against MDV infection are not well understood. Therefore, the current study was performed to understand the effect of the gut microbiota on Marek's disease (MD) pathogenesis. The findings showed that depletion of gut microbiota increased the severity of MD in infected chickens. In addition, an increase in the transcription of interferon (IFN)-alpha, IFN-beta and IFN-gamma in the bursa of Fabricius at 4 days post-infection (dpi) was observed in the gut microbiota depleted chickens. The observations in this study shed more light on the association between the gut microbiota and MDV infection in chickens. More research is needed to explore the mechanisms of involvement of the gut micmbiota in immunity against MD in chickens.

Automated summary

This study highlights the impact of gut microbiota on the pathogenesis of Marek's disease, showing that depletion of gut microbiota worsens the severity of MD in infected chickens. It suggests that gut microbiota may play a crucial role in immunity against MDV infection in chickens, but further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms involved.