Objective—To determine the effects of resveratrol (RES) on growth and immune status in chickens receiving conventional vaccinations. Animals—Two hundred forty 1-day-old layer chickens. Procedures—Chickens received conventional vaccinations throughout the study and were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in 6 replicate pens/treatment. Treatments included 1 control group (basal diet) and 3 experimental groups fed the basal diet plus 200, 400, and 800 mg of RES/kg of diet. At 40 days of age, 1 bird/pen was randomly selected to have blood and tissues collected to determine serum immunity indices; mRNA relative expression of proinflammatory cytokines in splenocytes; mRNA relative expression of nuclear transcription factor-κB, growth hormone receptor, and insulin-like growth factor-1 in hepatocytes; cell proliferation; and apoptosis. Results—Average daily gain, antibody titers against Newcastle disease virus and avian influenza viruses H5 and H9, and insulin-like growth factor-1 expression were quadratically increased with increasing RES concentration. In hepatocytes, growth hormone receptor gene mRNA relative expression was quadratically increased and nuclear transcription factor-κB gene mRNA relative expression was linearly decreased with increasing RES concentration. In splenocytes, nterleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α mRNA relative expression was linearly decreased with increasing RES concentration. Resveratrol supplementation delayed cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis in immunocytes. With increasing RES concentration, proliferation index and relative weight of the thymus, ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells, and CD4+ cell count were quadratically increased, and IgM concentration was linearly increased. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Dietary resveratrol supplementation improved growth, protected immunocytes against antigen-induced apoptosis, and upregulated immune response in chickens that received conventional vaccinations.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is the causative agent of a highly contagious and devastating Newcastle disease of poultry. A NDV (isolate DK1/07) was isolated from apparently healthy wild spot-billed ducks (Anas poecilorhyncha) captured at upper branch of the SapGyo Creek in Chungbuk province, Korea during early 2007. The DK1/07 isolate of minimum chicken embryo lethal dose killed all SPF chicken embryos within 60 h. The cleavage site of the F protein possessed the amino acid sequence ∨112R-R-Q-K-R-F∨117, which is a motif characteristic of virulent NDV strains. The F protein-based phylogenetic analysis revealed that the DK1/07 duck isolate was included in the cluster of genotype VIId and most closely related to recent NDV isolates obtained from chicken farms in Korea. Epidemiological importance of virulent NDV from wild duck is discussed.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a single-stranded negative sense RNA virus, which has been classified as a member of the Avulavirus genus of the Paramyxoviridae family. It is also one of the most important pathogens in the poultry industry. The glycoproteins, fusion (F) and hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN), determine the virulence of NDV, and the relevant molecular structures have already been determined. NDV isolates differ in terms of virulence, and at least 2 of 9 genotypes (Ⅰ-Ⅸ) have been shown to cocirculate.

Mean death time of inoculated embryonated egg is one of the methods to determine the virulence of the Newcastle disease viruses (NDV). Evaluation of tissue tropism of NDV in the host has been proposed as an another way to determine the pathogenicity of NDV based on the principal site of viral replication. To evaluate the tissue tropism among NDV, an immunohistochemistry(IHC) technique using monoclonal antibody was applied in one-day-old SPF chickens inoculated with different ND vaccine strains such as Ulster 2C, VG/GA and B1 viruses by eye drop instillation.

Newcastle disease (ND) is endemic in Angola. Several outbreaks of ND occurred in small backyard flocks and village chickens with high mortality in the southern provinces of the country, Cunene, Namibe and Huíla, in 2016 and 2018. In those years, 15 virulent ND virus (NDV) strains were isolated and grouped within subgenotype 2 of genotype VII (subgenotype VII.2). We now present a study on the thermostability of the isolates, aiming at the selection of the most thermostable strains that, after being genetically modified to reduce their virulence, can be adapted to the production of vaccines less dependent on cold chain and more adequate to protect native chickens against ND. Heat-inactivation kinetics of haemagglutinin (Ha) activity and infectivity (I) of the isolates were determined by incubating aliquots of virus at 56 °C for different time intervals. The two isolates from Namibe province showed a decrease in infectivity of 2 log10 in ≤ 10 min, therefore belonging to the I-phenotype, but while the NB1 isolate from 2016 maintained the Ha activity up to 30 min and was classified as thermostable virus (I−Ha+), the Ha activity of the 2018 NB2 isolate decreased by 2 log2 in 30 min, being classified as a thermolabile virus (I−Ha−). Of the 13 NDV isolates from Huíla province, 10 isolates were classified as thermostable, eight with phenotype I+Ha+ and 2 with phenotype I−Ha+. The other three isolates from this province were classified as thermolabile viruses (I−Ha−). Contribution: This study will contribute to the control and/or eradication of Newcastle disease virus in Angola. The thermostable viral strains isolated from chickens in the country can be genetically manipulated by reverse genetic technology in order to reduce their virulence and use them as a vaccine in the remote areas of Angola.

Vaccination against Newcastle disease (ND) is the most effective means of controlling the disease, and these vaccines are commercialized only after their safety and effectiveness have been verified through tests that comply with Korean Standards of National Lot Release for Veterinary Biologics. This study investigated whether a relatively convenient and safe serological test can be used in place of the challenge test using highly virulent ND virus. Hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were considered positive of log2 2 or more and cutoff value of 200 or more, respectively, in both live and inactivated vaccines. However, when the antibody levels of the live and inactivated vaccines induced using the Ulster 2C, KBNP-C4152R2L, and K148/08 strains were compared, the antibody titers for inactivated vaccines were significantly higher than those for live vaccines in both the HI assay and ELISA. A strong positive correlation was observed between HI and ELISA antibody titers. The live vaccines corresponded to a survival rates of ≥ 80% and the inactivated vaccines corresponded to 100% survival rates. This study confirmed that standard efficacy tests can serve as serological tests, and can replace the challenge test and that the vaccine approval process can be improved.

Feral pigeons (Columbia livia) can harbor a range of zoonotic pathogens. A transversal study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of feral pigeons infected by various pathogens in public areas in Montreal, Quebec. Cloacal swabs from captured birds were cultured for Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. and tested by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of Coxiella burnetii. An oropharyngeal swab was also submitted to real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) for the detection of Newcastle disease virus. Among the 187 pigeons tested from 10 public areas, 9.1% (95% CI: 3.0 to 15.2) were positive for Campylobacter spp. with all strains identified as Campylobacter jejuni. The Campylobacter status of birds was not associated with individual characteristics of birds, with the exception of body score. None of the pigeons tested positive for the other pathogens. Direct or indirect contacts with feral pigeons may constitute a potential risk for Campylobacter infection in humans.