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3 December 2015 Effects of T-2 Toxin on Turkey Herpesvirus–Induced Vaccinal Immunity Against Marek's Disease
E. Kufuor-Mensah, W. M. Reed, S. Sleight, J. Pestka, A. M. Fadly, J. R. Dunn
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Abstract

T-2 toxin, a very potent immunotoxic Type A trichothecene, is a secondary metabolite produced primarily by Fusarium spp., which grows on cereal grains and can lead to contaminated livestock feed. Repeated exposure to T-2 toxin has been shown to cause immunosuppression and decrease the resistance of exposed animals to a variety of infectious diseases; however, the effects of T-2 toxin on Marek's disease (MD) vaccinal immunity have not been reported. Four trials were conducted to determine the effects of T-2 toxin on vaccinal immunity against MD. Day-old, white leghorn chicks of Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory line 15I5 × 71 were treated daily for 7 days via crop gavage with T-2 toxin at a sublethal dose of 1.25 mg/kg body weight. Treated and untreated chicks were also vaccinated with turkey herpesvirus (HVT) at hatch and were challenged with the JM strain of MD virus (MDV) at 8 days of age. Chickens were tested for HVT viremia at 1 wk postvaccination immediately before challenge, and for HVT and MDV viremia at 3 wk postchallenge. Chickens were observed for the development of MD lesions and mortality within 8 wk of age. T-2 toxin significantly reduced body weight and titers of HVT viremia within 7 days after hatch. T-2 toxin shortened the incubation period for the development of MD lesions and mortality, but only in unvaccinated chickens. The percent MD protection in T-2–toxin-treated, HVT-vaccinated chickens ranged from 82% to 96% and was comparable to that in HVT-vaccinated untreated control chickens (89%–100%). The data suggest that exposure of chickens to sublethal doses of T-2 toxin for 7 consecutive days after hatch may influence the development of 1) HVT viremia; and 2) MD lesions and mortality, but only in unvaccinated chickens.

© 2016 American Association of Avian Pathologists
E. Kufuor-Mensah, W. M. Reed, S. Sleight, J. Pestka, A. M. Fadly, and J. R. Dunn "Effects of T-2 Toxin on Turkey Herpesvirus–Induced Vaccinal Immunity Against Marek's Disease," Avian Diseases 60(1), 56-62, (3 December 2015). https://doi.org/10.1637/11245-072815-Reg.1
Received: 3 August 2015; Accepted: 1 December 2015; Published: 3 December 2015
KEYWORDS
Marek's disease
mycotoxin
T-2 toxin
vaccination
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