Abstract: |
The recently detected clade 2.3.4.4 of the
highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 virus in
poultry encouraged us to study the efficacy of the 6 most
extensively used saleable H5 poultry vaccinations (bivalent [AI + ND], Re-5 H5N1, H5N1, H5N3, monovalent
AI, monovalent ND) with or without aqueous 8% neem
(Azadirachta indica) leaf extract as an immunostimulant.
One hundred thirty birds were randomly divided into 7
groups. Groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were divided into 2 subgroups (G1a, G2a, G3a, G4a, G5a, G6a) and (G1b, G2b,
G3b, G4b, G5b, G6b) with 10 birds each. Subgroups
(G1a, G2a, G3a, G4a, G5a, G6a) received the (bivalent
[AI + ND], Re-H5N1, H5N1, H5N3, monovalent AI,
monovalent ND) vaccines, while subgroups (G1b, G2b,
G3b, G4b, G5b, G6b) received the same previous vaccination but treated with neem leaf extract administrated
2 d before and after vaccination, and G7 with 10 birds
was kept unvaccinated as positive control group. Clinical
signs of the challenged group showed conjunctivitis,
closed eyes, cyanosis in comb and wattle, ocular discharge, and greenish diarrhea, while postmortem lesions
showed congested trachea and lung, hemorrhage on the
shank, proventriculus, and pancreas; gelatinous fluid submandibular, congestion of all organs (septicemia), mottled spleen. The clinical signs and lesions were mild in
neem leaf extract treated with bivalent vaccine and ReH5N1 while moderate in monovalent vaccine and H5N3
with or without neem leaf extract treated and reached
severe in the group immunized with H5N1 with or without neem leaf extract treatment. The protection levels in
the bivalent vaccine (AI + ND), Re-5 H5N1, and H5N3
treated with neem leaf extract, were 80%, 80%, and 60%,
respectively, while bivalent vaccine (AI + ND), Re-5
H5N1 and H5N3 without treatment were 60%, 60%, and
40%, respectively. The virus shedding was prevented in
groups vaccinated with bivalent vaccine and Re-H5N1
vaccine treated with neem leaf extract, while decreased in
the group vaccinated with H5N3 with neem leaf extract
and Re-H5N1 without neem leaf extract compared with
H5N3, H5N1, and monovalent vaccine. The immunological response after vaccination was stronger in the bivalent
vaccine group than in the other commercial vaccine
groups treated with neem leaf extract, with geometric
mean titer (GMTs) of 315.2 and 207.9 at the third and
fourth weeks, respectively. The use of immunostimulant
antiviral medicinal plants, such as neem, completely protected chicken flocks against HPAI (H5N8) and prevented AI virus shedding, leading us to the conclusion
that the use of bivalent vaccines induces a higher immune
response than other different commercial vaccines.
|
|
|