Journal
POULTRY SCIENCE
Volume 102, Issue 12, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103075
Keywords
Campylobacter; maternal antibody; broiler; broiler breeder; vaccination
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Campylobacter is a major cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide, with poultry products being the primary source of transmission. Maternal antibodies in broiler breeder flocks can protect their progeny from Campylobacter infection during the early weeks of life. Vaccinating broiler breeders can protect their offspring against Campylobacter colonization under low pathogen exposure conditions, although the protective effect is limited at higher challenge doses.
Campylobacter is the main cause of human gastroenteritis worldwide, with 50 to 80% of the cases related to consumption of poultry products. Maternal antibodies (MAB) from commercial breeder flocks may protect their progeny against infection during the first few weeks of life. We here studied the prevalence of Campylobacter antibody titers in broiler breeder flocks and to which extent immunization of broiler breeders increases maternal anti-Campylobacter titers in their progeny and protects the offspring against Campylobacter colonization. Two vaccines were used: a bacterin mix of 13 Campylobacter strains and a subunit vaccine comprising 6 immunodominant Campylobacter antigens.All sampled on-farm breeder flocks were positive for anti-Campylobacter antibodies, yet in some breeder flocks only very low titers were detected. Vaccination of SPF broiler breeder flocks with both subunit and bacterin vaccines resulted in a prolonged presence of anti-Campylobacter anti-bodies in the serum and intestinal mucus of chicks. These bacterin-or subunit vaccine-induced MAB conferred protection against Campylobacter colonization in chicks until 7 and 21 d of age, respectively, but only at a low challenge dose (102.5 cfu). The concentration of MAB in the mucus is probably too low to sufficiently capture Campylobacter when higher challenge doses are used. In conclusion, vaccinating broiler breeders protects their offspring against Campylobacter colonization under low pathogen exposure conditions.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available