U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research: Athens, GA
 close



    Research

                    Research Projects
                                    Publications
                                    Collaborations
                                    News
                People

                    Staff Listing
                                    Careers


        


                    USNPRC
                        Richard B Russell Center
                                    Southeast Poultry Research Center
                                    Return to USNPRC home page
                    Research Units at USNPRC
                        Quality and Safety Assessment Research
                                    Poultry Microbiological Safety and Processing Research
                                    Toxicology and Mycotoxin Research
                                    Egg and Poultry Production Safety Research Unit
                                    Exotic and Emerging Avian Viral Diseases
                                    Endemic Poultry Viral Diseases Research
                                    Avian Diseases and Oncology Research
                                    Return to USNPRC home pageSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home Southeast Area Athens, Georgia U.S. National Poultry Research Center Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research Research Publications at this Location





- ARS National Programs
- Search for a scientific manuscript
- Search for a research project
- ARS Software
- Programs and Projects
- Collaborations
- Subjects of Investigation
- Publications

Title:   Author  item
                                            Kapczynski, Darrellitem
                                            Zsak, Anikoitem
                                            EWALD, SANDRA - Auburn Universityitem
                                            Suarez, David
  Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
                                    Publication Type: Abstract Only
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 7/15/2012
                                    Publication  Date: 9/25/2012
                                    Citation: Kapczynski, D.R., Zsak, A., Ewald, S., Suarez, D.L. 2012. Use of interferon treatment to protect chickens against highly pathogenic avian influenza [abstract]. International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics in Animal Production Meeting. CDROM.Interpretive Summary:
                                Technical Abstract: Avian influenza (AI) is a significant public health concern and serious economic threat to the commercial poultry industry worldwide.  While properly matched vaccines can be effective at limiting morbidity and mortality, the use of therapeutics in veterinary animals to combat this disease are relatively non-existent.  Interferons (IFNs) are a group of polypeptides that are secreted from most all eukaryotic cells in response to external signals.  They are classified into three groups, designated type I, type II and type III.  Type I IFN (alpha and beta), are expressed rapidly after viral infection, and represent a first line of defense initiated by the innate immune response.  Induction of IFN-alpha results in an antiviral state which can decrease morbidity and mortality following viral infection.  Immediately following infection with AI, host cells begin to express proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6, and Type I IFN genes, which results in a general antiviral response through the activation of a broad range of effector molecules, including Myxovirus (Mx) resistance gene 1, RNA-activated protein kinase and 2’,5’-oligoadenylate synthetases.  Unlike mammals, chickens have a single Mx gene with multiple alleles.  The original evaluation of chicken Mx indicated the encoded protein lacked antiviral activity; however, more recent reports have determined that the chicken Mx1 gene is highly polymorphic, and cDNAs of some but not all Mx1 alleles transfected into mouse 3T3 cells conferred protection against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in vitro.  According to that report, chicken Mx1 variants encoding Asn at position 631 have antiviral activity, whereas variants with Ser at 631 lack activity.  We have previously demonstrated the protective potential of IFN-alpha applied to poultry against low pathogenic avian influenza viruses.  In those studies, intranasal application of IFN-alpha during infection reduced clinical signs of disease and the incidence of viral shedding.  In the present studies, we evaluated protection of chickens against HPAI in birds with different Mx during IFN-alpha application.  We observed >90 percent protection from mortality that was dependent on Mx-631 allele.  Birds with the Mx-Asn631 (White Leghorn) were resistant to disease whereas Mx-Ser631 birds (White Rock) were susceptible to HPAIV.  Taken together, these studies show that IFN-alpha can protect chickens from disease associated with HPAIV and that the Mx-631 allele may contribute to that protection.


Return to top


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov