Selection and characterisation of two attenuated vaccine lines of Eimeria tenella in Australia

OBJECTIVE: To attenuate two strains of Eimeria tenella by selecting for precocious development and evaluate the strains in characterisation trials and by field evaluation, to choose one precocious line for incorporation into an Australian live coccidiosis vaccine for poultry. DESIGN: Two strains from non-commercial flocks were passaged through chickens while selecting for precocious development. Each strain was characterised for drug sensitivity, pathogenicity, protection against homologous and heterologous challenge, and oocyst output in replicated experiments in which the experimental unit was a cage of three birds. Oocyst output and/or body weight gain data collected over a 10 to 12 day period following final inoculation were measured. Feed conversion ratios were also calculated where possible. RESULTS: Fifteen passages resulted in prepatent periods reduced by 24 h for the Redlands strain (from 144 h to 120 h) and 23 h for the Darryl strain (from 139 h to 116 h). Characterisation trials demonstrated that each precocious line was significantly less pathogenic than its parent strain and each effectively induced immunity that protected chickens against challenge with both the parent strain and other virulent field strains. Both lines had oocyst outputs that, although significantly reduced relative to the parent strains, remained sufficiently high for commercial vaccine production, and both showed susceptibility to coccidiostats. CONCLUSION: Two attenuated lines have been produced that exhibit the appropriate characteristics for use in an Australian live coccidiosis vaccine.     

Characterisation and histopathological observations of a selected Brazilian precocious line of Eimeria acervulina

Precocious lines of Eimeria acervulina "Cu" and "I" strains were obtained after 25 passages of oocysts in chickens that showed a shortening of the prepatent period for first oocyst output from 96 h to 81 and 82 h, respectively. Both precocious lines were evaluated for pathogenicity using as criteria weight gain, lesion score and total oocyst production. Infection of the "Cu" precocious line in chickens showed a high weight gain, low lesion score and low oocyst production, when compared to parent strain infected chickens. However, the results did not show a significant difference in relation to the criteria used above for the E. acervulina "I" precocious line when compared to its parent strain. This suggests a low degree of attenuation for the "I" strain but good attenuation for the precocious "Cu" line. The histopathological observations of chickens infected with the E. acervulina "Cu" parent strain and precocious line, comparing life cycle and intestinal lesions, showed: (1) parasite stages only in the border cells of infected chicken intestinal villi, for the precocious line; (2) parasite stages in the border cells of the intestinal villi and submucosa cells near the Lieberkühn glands of the intestine; and (3) high degree of inflammatory cells around the parasites in chickens infected with the parent strain. The "Cu" strain was also characterized for sensitivity against eight anticoccidial drugs. Sensitivity was observed for four anticoccidial drugs and partial resistance for four other drugs, although the strain had never had previous contact with anticoccidial drugs, suggesting the presence of a natural resistance factor. This Brazilian E. acervulina "Cu" precocious line showed attenuation for pathogenicity in chickens, suggesting that it could be a suitable strain for use as a live vaccine in Brazil.     

Selection for early (precocious) development of Eimeria meleagridis in the turkey

A precocious line of Eimeria meleagridis was developed by repeated propagation of the parasite in young turkeys and collection of the very first oocysts produced following infection. After 20 generations of selection, the prepatent period was reduced by 4-8 hr. Weight gain of poults given this line, from days 0-3 after infection, was significantly greater than that of poults given the parental strain, indicating that selection resulted in a loss of pathogenicity. Poults immunized with the precocious line produced no oocysts following challenge with the parental strain, indicating that immunogenicity was retained following selection. This is the first published report of the selection of a precocious line of Eimeria in the turkey.     

堆形艾美耳球虫早熟株选育及相关生物学特性研究

为了选育堆形艾美耳球虫（Eimeria acervulina）早熟株及观测其生物学特性,运用Jeffers创立的艾美耳属球虫早熟株选育方法,对实验室保存的堆形艾美耳球虫进行连续传代早熟选育,并对获得的早熟株与母株孢子化卵囊大小、繁殖能力、致病性以及免疫保护力等指标进行了测定,比较堆形艾美耳球虫早熟株与母株之间的基本生物学特性差异。经过18代早熟选育后,堆形艾美耳球虫的潜在期由母株的99h缩短至84h。与母株相比,早熟株的孢子化卵囊大小明显减小（P〈0．05）,卵囊繁殖能力降低了17％～42%。致病性试验中,早熟株感染组的平均增重均高于母株,而病变记分相当。免疫保护试验中,早熟株与母株的免疫保护力相当,其卵囊抑制率略低于母株,差异不明显（P〉0．05）。结果表明,本研究成功选育出堆形艾关耳球虫早熟株,对母株攻击具有保护力,为鸡球虫疫苗的研制奠定了基础。     

Induction of strong protection by vaccination with partially attenuated serotype 1 Marek's disease viruses

Studies were conducted to better understand the relationship among Marcek's disease (MD) vaccine strains between induction of protective immunity and the degree of attenuation (or virulence). To obtain viruses at different stages of attenuation, very virulent plus MD strains 584A and 648A and selected clones of these strains were serially passaged in chicken and duck cells. These viruses were considered fully attenuated after passage for 70-100 times in chicken embryo cell cultures until they no longer induced gross lesions in susceptible, maternal antibody-negative (ab-) chickens. Lower passages of the same strains were considered partially attenuated, provided their virulence was less than that of the parent strain. Four of five partially attenuated preparations derived from MD virus strains 584A and 648A or the previously attenuated Md11 strain induced 28%-62% higher levels of protection in maternal antibody-positive (ab+) chickens against virulent MD challenge than the fully attenuated counterpart viruses. The partially attenuated 584A/d2/3 strain replicated in chickens but was totally nonprotective. Data from two subsequent trials in ab+ chickens confirmed that protection induced by the partly attenuated (passage 80) preparations was 79% and 118% higher, respectively, than that induced by the fully attenuated (passage 100) preparations of strain 648A. However, in one trial with ab- chickens, no difference in protection between partially and fully attenuated virus was observed. Strong protection (up to 85%) against highly virulent challenge also was provided by preparations of 648A at passages 40-60, which were moderately oncogenic when used alone. Partially attenuated strains tended to replicate to higher titers in both ab+ and ab- chickens compared with fully attenuated vaccines. Also, ab+ and ab- chickens vaccinated with partially attenuated strains developed three- to nine fold more extensive microscopic lesions in peripheral nerves at 14 and 22 days after virulent challenge than chickens vaccinated with fully attenuated strains. When measured in ab+ chickens, loss of lesion induction by 648A was achieved 30 passages earlier (at passage 70) than when measured in ab- chickens. Thus, maternal antibodies appeared to abrogate the pathogenicity of some partially attenuated strains. These studies establish for MD the principle that at least some partially attenuated MD viruses may replicate better and induce stronger immunity against virulent challenge than fully attenuated preparations of the same strain, at least when tested in ab+ chickens. Moreover, depending on passage level, partially attenuated vaccine strains may be relatively innocuous for ab+ chickens, causing few or no lesions.     

Relative rates of Aujeszky's disease virus attenuation, as assessed in mice

Field strains of Aujeszky's disease virus (ADV) were attenuated by heat treatment and serial passage at sub-optimal growth temperatures in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). At chosen passage levels, virus was titrated in cell culture and in mice. For each strain, the pathogenicity was expressed as a mouse lethal index (MLI), defined as the inverse of the log10 (CCID50:LD50). MLIs determined for field strains displayed a wide range of comparatively high values. The attenuation of field strains was accompanied by a rapid fall in MLI values, particularly in the initial stages. Heat-treated ADV attenuated faster than untreated ADV, when passaged at 30 degrees C. Passage at 27 degrees C resulted in considerably accelerated attenuation compared to passage at 30 degrees C, in the case of both untreated and heat-treated ADV. MLIs were determined for attenuated ADV strains that had been tested in 6-day-old piglets. Low MLI values were found to correlate with low virulence in piglets and high MLI values with virulence.     

Characterization of the antibody response in birds following infection with wild-type and attenuated strains of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria necatrix

Live vaccines containing attenuated parasite strains are increasingly used to control chicken coccidiosis. In this paper antibody responses elicited by infections with wild-type and attenuated strains of Eimeria tenella and Eimeria necatrix were characterized by immunoblotting and ELISA with homologous and heterologous antisera. Few differences between antisera from birds infected with wild and attenuated strains of E. tenella were evident in immunoblots conducted with merozoite antigen preparations from both E. tenella strains, however the reactivity of sera raised in birds infected with the wild-type strain was noticeably more intense. In ELISAs conducted with merozoite antigen preparations, antisera from birds infected with the wild-type strains of E. tenella and E. necatrix consistently produced a significantly higher (P<0.05) antibody response than antisera from birds infected with the attenuated strains. Likewise, avidity ELISAs conducted with the E. tenella strains demonstrated that antibodies in birds infected with the wild-type strain were of significantly higher avidity (P<0.05) than antibodies in birds infected with the attenuated strain. The differences in the antibody responses are probably due to changes in the attenuated strain as a result of selection for precocious development and the less severe tissue damage and inflammation of the intestine resulting from infection with the attenuated strain.     

Proteolytic enzyme activity and attenuation of virulence in Theileria annulata schizont-infected cells

A field isolate of Theileria annulata (Uzbek strain) was obtained from calves infected by Hyalomma anatolicum ticks collected from an endemic region in Uzbekistan. Schizont-infected bovine cells that had been established and propagated in cell culture were examined for attenuation both in vivo, by inoculating cells from various passages into calves, and in vitro for metalloproteinase activity. During serial subcultivation a gradual reduction in virulence and in enzyme activity in cells infected with the Uzbek strain were observed. Complete attenuation of the Uzbek isolate was obtained at about passage 80, and only traces of proteolysis were detected in gelatin substrate gels. In contrast, there was no direct correlation between virulence and enzyme levels in an Israeli strain. While schizonts of the Israeli strain were completely attenuated at passage 80, proteolysis in the substrate gels was detected up to passage 197. Solid immunity was observed in calves immunized with attenuated T. annulata schizonts of the Uzbek strain upon challenge with the homologous H. excavatum sporozoites. For a strain to be used for vaccine production, it appears that animal inoculation still remains the most reliable method to assess the degree of attenuation and protection.     

Live attenuated coccidiosis vaccine: selection of a second precocious line of Eimeria maxima

An attenuated line (CP) of Eimeria maxima was obtained by selection for early development of oocysts. Despite a small reproductive potential the CP line was highly immunogenic against its parent but did not completely protect chickens against challenge with virulent heterologous strains. However, in combination with another attenuated line with similar characteristics, good protection was induced.     

Vaccination of rabbits against coccidiosis using precocious lines of Eimeria magna and Eimeria media in Benin

Three groups of twelve 35-day-old rabbits were used for the experiment. Two groups were vaccinated with a mixture of precocious lines of Eimeria magna and Eimeria media originating from corresponding wild strains isolated in Benin. One group benefited of a booster whereas the second one was kept without booster. A third non-vaccinated group was used as control. All groups were challenged per os with an equal mixture of the wild strains of E. magna and E. media at a dose of 104 oocysts per animal. Three weeks after the challenge inoculation, no case of diarrhoea was recorded in the two groups of vaccinated rabbits, as compared to the non-vaccinated rabbits that developed diarrhoea. No mortality was recorded in the three groups. During the patent period, oocyst output of vaccinated rabbits was significantly lower than that of control animals (P < 0.01), confirming a good immunogenic characteristic of the precocious lines. No booster effect was noticed for the boost vaccinated group. The daily weigh gain of the two groups of vaccinated rabbits was significantly higher than that of the non-vaccinated rabbits (P < 0.05). Consequently the precocious lines of Benin origin turned out to be immunogenic and therefore constitute good potential candidates for vaccine production for this country.     

柔嫩艾美耳球虫早熟株的初步选育及免疫原性的测定

为选育柔嫩艾美耳球虫的早熟株和了解其免疫原性,本试验通过鸡体的传代培养,初步得到了柔嫩艾美耳球虫早熟株P9。以早熟株免疫雏鸡后,以亲本株P0半数致死量攻毒,以确定其免疫原性。结果表明:P9的潜隐期由P0的141h缩短至131.5h,免疫后攻毒显示该早熟株具有良好的免疫原性。     

Characterization of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae strains isolated from acute swine erysipelas outbreaks in Eastern China

Recently, a series of acute swine erysipelas outbreaks occurred in Eastern China. Eight strains isolated from cases of septicemia were determined as serotype 1a, and 4 of the isolates were resistant to acriflavine. One isolate strain named {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HX130709","term_id":"383559396","term_text":"HX130709"}}HX130709 was attenuated on agar media containing acriflavine dye. The 432-bp hypervariable region in spaA gene of the field and attenuated strains were amplified and sequenced. It was further compared with the vaccine strain G₄T₁₀, and thus, the eight field strains can be divided into four spaA-types. The partial spaA gene analysis also showed that no point mutations occurred among different archived passages of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HX130709","term_id":"383559396","term_text":"HX130709"}}HX130709 during the attenuation. Results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed that eight distinct patterns with 22 to 30 DNA fragment bands were produced from field strains, and twelve distinct patterns with 23 to 27 DNA fragment bands were produced from different passages of the attenuated strains. Mouse pathogenicity test showed that the mortality of the mice infected with 10⁴ CFU field strains was 100% and the attenuation of strain {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"HX130709","term_id":"383559396","term_text":"HX130709"}}HX130709 occurred between 46 and 50 passages. All the field and attenuated strains were highly sensitive to β-lactam antibiotics, tetracyclines and macrolides. So, we can make conclusions that the acute swine erysipelas outbreaks in Eastern China were caused by serotype 1a E. rhusiopathiae strains with different biochemical characteristics, and the virulence of serotype 1a E. rhusiopathiae strains is unrelated with some point mutations in 432-bp hypervariable region of the spaA gene.     

堆型艾美耳球虫早熟减毒株的选育

用早熟选育方法对堆型艾美耳球虫保定株进行了12代早熟选育,获得了潜隐期为74h的P_9株和62h的P_(12)株两个早熟株.两个早熟株不经选择传递2代,仍保持了早熟的特性.早熟株较其亲代株繁殖能力下降,致病力降低,但仍然保持了良好的免疫原性.早熟选育改变了虫体的内生性发育过程,引起了潜隐期的缩短.P_9株的裂体生殖为3代,P_(12)株的裂体生殖为2代.     

紫外线诱导巨型艾美耳球虫的早熟株选育

本试验分离获得了1株巨型艾美耳球虫，通过紫外线诱导和非紫外线诱导两种方法对该虫株进行早熟选育，获得了2个巨型艾美耳球虫早熟减毒株。通过对2个早熟株的潜隐期、繁殖力、致病力以及免疫原性进行对比研究，证明紫外线诱导下的早熟选育可明显缩短选育所需代数，且与传统方法选育的早熟株在繁殖力、免疫原性与免疫保护力等方面基本相同。紫外线诱导下，经7代早熟选育，潜隐期由母株的142h缩短到116h，而非紫外线诱导的选育需要20代才能达到同样的选育结果。两早熟株卵囊的繁殖能力与母株相比有所下降，但仍保留了母株原有的免疫原性。     

11株巨型艾美耳球虫繁殖力的比较研究

用巨型艾美耳球虫扬州株、南通株、连云港株、苏州株、凤阳株、青岛株、福州株、龙岩株、广州株、上海株和美国株孢子化卵囊100个/只或10 000 个/只,经嗉囔接种7 日龄或21 日龄无球虫黄羽肉公雏,以麦克马斯特法对感染后第6 天至第14 天间每天24 h排出的卵囊计数并进行统计分析。结果表明,各虫株的排卵囊量有差异,100个/只卵囊感染7日龄雏鸡时,广州株和凤阳株排卵囊量最多,上海株和苏州株排卵囊量最少;100个/只卵囊感染21 日龄雏鸡时,扬州株排卵囊量最多,上海株排卵囊量最少;10 000 个/只卵囊感染21 日龄雏鸡时,苏州株排卵囊量最多,连云港株和扬州株的排卵囊量最少;排卵囊量随着感染剂量的增加或鸡日龄的增大而增多;在同一感染剂量时,福州株和连云港株增加最多,上海株和苏州株增加最少;在同一感染鸡日龄时,苏州株和上海株增加最多,南通株和扬州株增加最少;各虫株的排卵囊规律极相似,在感染后第7 天排卵囊量达峰值,第8 天、第9 天排出的卵囊量显著减少,第10天排出的卵囊量仅占总量的2%,第14天接近于0%;第6天至第8天排出的卵囊量占总量的87%~99%。     

Eimeria tenella in chickens: Studies on resistance to the anticoccidial drugs monensin and lasalocid

The response of the Houghton strain of E. tenella to monensin and lasalocid is described. Neither drug was able to completely control this strain at 125 ppm. At this concentration oocyst production was not completely suppressed by monensin in birds given ten oocysts. At higher concentrations both drugs were able to control E. tenella (H) in birds given 1 × 10⁵ oocysts but monensin was toxic. 375 ppm monensin did not prevent oocyst production in birds given 4 × 10⁶ oocysts. Resistance could not be developd to either of these compounds after 12 serial passages in the presence of drug. Serial passage of E. tenella (H) in the presence of monensin however resulted in an increase in pathogenecity. This greater pathogenecity was not due to a better ability to multiply in the host.     

Eimeria tenella: stability of resistance to halofuginone, decoquinate and arprinocid in the chicken

The stability of experimentally induced resistance to halofuginone, decoquinate or arprinocid in lines of Eimeria tenella, was examined after 10 passages in unmedicated chickens. There was no loss of resistance to halofuginone or decoquinate. Resistance to arprinocid was unaffected in a line developed in the presence of 150 ppm of the drug but was unstable in a line developed with 60 ppm.     

Isolation and selection of ionophore-tolerant Eimeria precocious lines: E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina

Eimeria parasites were isolated from Nanhai Guangdong province (southern China) and studied in chickens in wire cages to evaluate their drug resistance against commonly used ionophores: monensin (100 mg/kg of feed), lasolacid (90 mg/kg), salinomycin (60 mg/kg), maduramicin (5 mg/kg) and semduramicin (25 mg/kg). Chinese Yellow Broiler Chickens were infected with 40,000 crude sporulated Eimeria oocysts at 15 days of age and prophylactic medication commenced a day prior to infection. Drug resistance was assessed for each ionophore drug by calculating the anticoccidial index (ACI) and percentage optimum anticoccidial activity (POAA) based on relative weight gain, rate of oocyst production and lesion values. Results revealed that Nanhai Eimeria oocysts comprising of E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina, were resistant to monensin, sensitive to both salinomycin and lasolacid and partially sensitive to maduramicin and semduramicin. By selection for early development of oocysts during passage through chickens, the prepatent time of E. tenella, E. maxima and E. acervulina were reduced by 49, 36 and 22 h, respectively. The precocious lines are less pathogenic than the parent strains from which they were selected and conferred a satisfactory protection for chickens against coccidiosis. These ionophore-tolerant precocious lines could have wider applications in the development of anticoccidial vaccines for sustainable control of coccidiosis.     

Isolation, propagation, identification and comparative pathogenicity of five Egyptian field strains of Eimeria tenella from broiler chickens in five different provinces in Egypt

A battery trial was conducted to evaluate the comparative pathogenicity of five field strains of Eimeria tenella from Behera, Khafr El-Sheikh, Alexandria, Gharbia and Matrouh provinces in Egypt. Two-week-old broiler chickens were infected with 25×10(3) sporulated oocysts of each strain of E. tenella. The comparative pathogenicity of the strains was assessed by calculating body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, lesion scores, dropping nature scores, cecal scrapings, mortality percentage and oocysts count. Hematological parameters including hemoglobin (Hb) content, packed cell volume (PCV%) and total erythrocytic count, were also evaluated. There were different degrees of pathogenicity between the strains.