Test the protective efficacy of immunizing chickens with recombinant fowlpox virus expressing coccidial antigens and (2) evaluate cellular and humoral immune response to recombinant fowlpox virus in an effort to develop safe and practical coccidiosis vaccine.
ARS scientists have identified coccidial genes and gene products that induce immune responses during coccidiosis. The genes encoding these products were cloned into fowlpox virus (FPV) by Nippon-Zeon. These FPV constructs will be administerted to chickens by various routes for immunization purposes. Vaccination success will be evaluated by challenging immunized chickens with coccidial organisms and compare clinical signs with unimmunized controls. BSL-2; Recertified 11/06/01.