USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have announced the completion of a funded research project at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Conn., in which researchers evaluated the use of a novel live vaccine to prevent necrotic enteritis in broilers. The research project is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. A brief summary of the completed project is shown below. A complete report, along with information on other Association research, may be obtained by going to USPOULTRY’s website, www.uspoultry.org. The project summary is as follows.
Project #686: Testing of a Non-virulent NetB Positive Strain of C. perfringens as a Live Vaccine against Necrotic Enteritis in Chickens
(Dr. Joan Smyth, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.)
Necrotic enteritis is a disease produced by a bacterium called Clostridium perfringens, which may grow in the intestinal tracts of chickens and turkeys and produce toxins which cause illness and mortality in flocks. Dr. Joan Smyth used a novel isolate of the clostridium organism, which does not cause the disease as a live oral vaccine in young chickens. She showed the inoculated birds developed antibodies to clostridium and some vaccine formulations provided partial protection against the disease. Although the vaccine does not provide full protection, this research supports the concept of using a live vaccine to protect against necrotic enteritis and will stimulate further research to improve the effectiveness of this live vaccine.
For a detailed summary, click here.
