Evaluation of Influenza Antibody Titers in Serum and Egg Yolk of Layers Vaccinated with Influenza Vaccines.

Abstract

Influenza belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family which causes upper and lower respiratory tract infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate influenza-A specific antibody titers from serum and egg yolk of hens vaccinated with quadrivalent influenza vaccines. Three Hy-line Brown layers were vaccinated with quadrivalent influenza type A and B inactivated vaccines. Vaccination was carried out three times at a dose of 0.25 ml/chicken via the intramuscular route. The first vaccination was carried out at 24 weeks of age, then boosters were performed at 28 and 32 weeks of age. Serum and egg yolk were collected every week for 20 weeks since the first vaccination. Influenza A H3N2 and H1N1 antibody titers were determined using hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test and agar-gel-precipitation (AGP) test. Influenza-A H3N2 and H1N1 specific antibodies were detected in both serum and egg yolk from the first to twenty weeks after the initial vaccination. Highest HI geometric mean titer (GMT) of H1N1 antibody reached 26.67 HIU at nine weeks post first vaccination (p.f.v), while H3N2 antibody reached 26 HIU at six weeks p.f.v. Our result showed that influenza antibodies can be produced in layers using quadrivalent vaccines and layer chickens are able to produce equivalent antibody levels for each influenza subtype.