Recombinant fowlpox virus vector-based vaccine completely protects chickens from H5N1 avian influenza virus

With the widespread presence of influenza virus H5N1 in poultry and wildlife species, particularly migrating birds, vaccination has become an important control strategy for avian influenza (AI). In this study, the immune efficacy and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody responses induced by a recombinant fowlpox virus (FPV) vector-based rFPV–HA–NA vaccine was evaluated in SPF and commercial chickens. Four-week old SPF chickens vaccinated with one dose of vaccine containing 2 × 103 plaque forming units (PFU) of virus were completely protected from H5N1 AI virus 1 week after vaccination, and protective immunity lasted for at least 40 weeks. Two-week old commercial layer chickens were vaccinated with the rFPV–HA–NA vaccine and boosted with the same dose of vaccine following an interval of 18 weeks. The HI antibody titers higher than 4 log 2 lasted for 52 weeks after the booster immunization. We also examined the efficacy of the rFPV–HA–NA vaccine in SPF chickens administrated by different routes. The results showed that effective application of rFPV–HA–NA vaccine in poultry may be restricted to wing-web puncture, intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. These results demonstrate that the rFPV–HA–NA vaccine is effective in the prevention of infection of H5N1 AI virus.