Combating highly pathogenic avian influenza: Novel vaccination strategies using recombinant live avian viral vaccine vectors. THIS GRANT IS A SUPPLEM

Lead Research Organisation: The Pirbright Institute
Department Name: Avian Infectious Diseases

Abstract

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Technical Summary

We propose to use novel approaches for AI vaccination using recombinant herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) and avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) as vaccine vectors that express protective haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) antigens of avian influenza virus. Since these vaccine constructs will express only selected AI antigen, vaccinated birds can be unambiguously differentiated from those infected with the field virus. These virus vectors have several distinct advantages: (1) they are extensively used as live virus vaccines. (2) they induce immunity following in ovo vaccine application. (3) it is relatively easy to generate new vaccines from the specific field isolates. Recombinant HVT and IBV vectors will be generated by cloning HA and NA genes (the multiple basic amino acids at the HA1 and HA2 cleavage sites will be deleted) from the HPAI viruses, [A/os/Italy 984/00 (H7N1) and A/ty/Turkey/1/05 (H5N1)], into the HVT and IBV genomes using in house derived reverse genetics systems. We plan to generate a panel of recombinant viruses (1) HVT/H7/N1 (2) HVT/H5/N1 (3) IBV/H7 (4) IBV/H5 (5) IBV/N1 for use as potential vaccine candidates. The recombinant viruses will be evaluated for expression of the AI-derived HA and NA genes in cell culture and in ovo. Selected viruses will be used in homologous virus challenge studies in chickens for comparison with commercially available inactivated vaccines. The protection parameters of the vaccines candidates will be assessed by comparing the immune responses, mortality rates, morbidity and shedding of AI virus from the challenged birds. The data obtained from these experiments will enable us to select the most effective vaccine candidate providing protection against challenge with HPAI AI virus and decrease in excretion of the AI virus. Ultimately, we anticipate that these novel AI vaccines will be used in the eradication of AI by the control of disease and reduction of viral load in the environment.
 
Description Studentship Identification of genetic markers in the haemagglutinin glycoprotein critical for antigenic activity of H9N2
Amount £118,000 (GBP)
Funding ID BBS/E/I/00001759 
Organisation Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2015 
End 09/2019
 
Description Global Alliance for Research on Avian Diseases 
Organisation Global Alliance for Research on Avian Diseases
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Charity/Non Profit 
PI Contribution This alliance led by Pirbright has participation from over 40 countries and comprises of academics and industry professionals. This forum helps in working together, identifies the challenges and opportunities for improved control of avian diseases
Collaborator Contribution Two successful international meetings were organised as part of this alliance, one in London in 2015 and most recent one in Hanoi, Vietnam in January 2018
Impact Organisation of two successful international meetings and development of significant collaborations
Start Year 2015
 
Description AN INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR VENUGOPAL NAIR 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact Professor Venugopal Nair is a Research Group Leader at The Pirbright Institute, a visiting Professor of Avian Virology at the Department of Zoology, and a Jenner Investigator at the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford. He is also a member of the Microbiology Society, and in this interview, he tells us more about his research into viral diseases of livestock.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://microbiologysociety.org/membership/meet-our-members/focus-area-viruses/an-interview-with-pro...