Abstract Title
Avian Influenza Vaccines: Challenges and Solutions
Abstract
Vaccination has shown promise in reducing the impact of avian influenza viruses in poultry. While current vaccines protect birds from clinical symptoms and mortality, they often fail to prevent viral shedding, allowing the virus to persist in the population. Key challenges in vaccine production and effectiveness include the handling and selection of candidate vaccine seed viruses, as the ongoing evolution leads to antigenic variants that may not match existing vaccines. Poor-quality or mismatched vaccines can result in suboptimal immunity, further selecting for variants capable of evading protection. Additional factors reducing vaccine effectiveness include interference maternally derived antibodies, co-infection with multiple antigenic variants, and suboptimal vaccination practices, all of which compromise vaccine outcomes.
To address these challenges, we are exploring new approaches and formulations for poultry vaccines that are potent, effective, affordable, safe, and DIVA-compatible. Our recent research has shown promise: modifying protective viral antigens to selectively target chicken immune cells has enhanced vaccine immunity, even in birds with high levels of maternally derived antibodies. These targeted antigen-delivery vaccines are also DIVA-compatible and cost-effective to produce in cultured cells rather than embryonated eggs. Additionally, incorporating broadly cross-reactive epitopes into vaccine antigens and delivering these antigens via viral vectors in live attenuated vaccines is enhancing the breadth, potency, and effectiveness of poultry vaccines against avian influenza viruses.
These improved vaccines could provide significant benefits, including disease freedom, lifted trade restrictions, and a reduced economic impact. Ultimately, effective vaccines can help curb enzootic virus circulation and decrease the risk of zoonotic transmission.
To address these challenges, we are exploring new approaches and formulations for poultry vaccines that are potent, effective, affordable, safe, and DIVA-compatible. Our recent research has shown promise: modifying protective viral antigens to selectively target chicken immune cells has enhanced vaccine immunity, even in birds with high levels of maternally derived antibodies. These targeted antigen-delivery vaccines are also DIVA-compatible and cost-effective to produce in cultured cells rather than embryonated eggs. Additionally, incorporating broadly cross-reactive epitopes into vaccine antigens and delivering these antigens via viral vectors in live attenuated vaccines is enhancing the breadth, potency, and effectiveness of poultry vaccines against avian influenza viruses.
These improved vaccines could provide significant benefits, including disease freedom, lifted trade restrictions, and a reduced economic impact. Ultimately, effective vaccines can help curb enzootic virus circulation and decrease the risk of zoonotic transmission.
Co-Author(s)
Jean-Remy Sadeyen, Rebecca Daines, Angita Shrestha, Pengxiang Chang, Jiayun Yang1, Munir Iqbal
Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease group, The Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, Woking, UK, GU24 0NF
Abstract Category
Diagnostics, vaccination, or other mitigation strategies for poultry and wildlife