Project description:Avibacterium paragallinarum is the causative agent of Infectious Coryza, an acute upper respiratory tract disease in chickens. The occurrence of outbreaks has emphasized that the disease can be significant in broiler as well as layer chickens. In developing countries, infectious coryza is commonly complicated by a range of other infections, resulting in severe disease and significant economic losses. There are vaccines on the market but with limited efficiency, due to the serological differences amongst the different serogroups of A. paragallinarum. Recent advances in genomics have led to whole genome sequencing of the chicken, creating an opportunity for the use of high-throughput technology such as microarrays. The objectives of this study was to screen for gene expression patterns across clinical scores associated with the immune response in chickens infected with A. paragallinarum serovar C3, as well as to establish which biological pathways are stumulated when infected with A. paragallinarum.
Project description:Avibacterium paragallinarum is the causative agent of Infectious Coryza, an acute upper respiratory tract disease in chickens. The occurrence of outbreaks has emphasized that the disease can be significant in broiler as well as layer chickens. In developing countries, infectious coryza is commonly complicated by a range of other infections, resulting in severe disease and significant economic losses. There are vaccines on the market but with limited efficiency, due to the serological differences amongst the different serogroups of A. paragallinarum. Recent advances in genomics have led to whole genome sequencing of the chicken, creating an opportunity for the use of high-throughput technology such as microarrays. The objectives of this study was to screen for gene expression patterns across clinical scores associated with the immune response in chickens infected with A. paragallinarum serovar C3, as well as to establish which biological pathways are stumulated when infected with A. paragallinarum. A total of 15 birds (male, leghorn) were obtained at 10 weeks of age. The birds were kept in separate layer cages up until 21 weeks, this is the susceptible age for infectious coryza. Twelve (12) birds were challenged via the infra-orbital eye area with 0.1ml challenge bacterium (A.paragallinarum serovar C3), Three were left unchallenged, which served as the control. As symptoms developed birds were scored, with score1 representing mild symptoms, score2, moderate and score3 representing severe symptoms. Each score is represented by two biological replicates. Thus a total of 8 samples were hybridized, two representing control.
