CPRC Update: February 2011
Although avian influenza (AI) has not received much media attention recently, it remains a threat to the poultry industry and is the focus of many research programs in Canada and abroad.
Although avian influenza (AI) has not received much media attention
recently, it remains a threat to the poultry industry and is the focus
of many research programs in Canada and abroad.
Scientists worldwide are contributing to a multi-pronged effort to understand how AI virus works and find better ways to keep it in check. The Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC) supports a number of research programs as part of this effort. The November 2010 edition of the CPRC Update described technology being developed at the University of Guelph that could interrupt the replication cycle of AI virus in the cell, thereby preventing spread of infection within or among poultry flocks. Another AI research program, also in Guelph, led by Dr. Shayan Sharif at the Ontario Veterinary College has been investigating how the chicken’s immune system reacts to exposure to AI virus. With a thorou gh understanding of the immune response, the scientific community will be able to work with industry in developing rational approaches to controlling AI infection in commercial poultry. Dr. Sharif’s group has already revealed important information on AI immunity and is building on past success to develop a comprehensive research program.
A collaborative approach
As part of the recently announced poultry science cluster, this research program has evolved to a highly collaborative effort to better understand how AI virus causes disease, how the disease is spread and how the chicken’s immune system reacts to it. The overall goal of the program is to develop strategies to manage AI. The effort involves researchers at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD); the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Winnipeg, Biologics Evaluation Laboratory; CFIA-Ottawa; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan; and University of Guelph. The scientists have divided the work into subprojects designed to answer the following questions:
How does AI virus adapt?
The overall goal of this subproject is to determine the molecular basis of AI virus adaptation from its natural reservoir to domestic poultry. Using molecular techniques, the researchers will generate viruses that contain a mixture of genes from domestic poultry and wild birds, to be used as tools to study the role of gene combinations on viruses’ ability to infect poultry.
How is it transmitted?
This subproject will study airborne transmission of AI virus. The objectives are to develop a system that closely simulates aerosols in the poultry farm environment and to determine the minimum infectious dose of AI virus. This information will be integrated into risk assessment models to define restricted access zones during outbreaks.
How does the chicken react?
As part of this subproject, researchers will study immune responses elicited by AI virus with the objective of determining if the response can me modulated to improve the efficacy of AI vaccines. Immune responses will be compared when chickens are exposed to AI virus via various routes (such as the respiratory tract) and evaluate elicitation of immune response by AIV vaccines.
Is vaccination a viable strategy?
The overall goal of this subproject is to develop vaccine platforms against AI virus. The researchers will build on information gained from previous work, including that mentioned above, to develop safe and efficient delivery systems for AI vaccines. The plan is to develop rational vaccines and test their efficacy against AI virus in chickens.
There has been a lot of research effort in recent years towards a better understanding of AI virus, yet there remain many questions about its biology. The collaborative approach taken by the researchers involved in the poultry science cluster is deemed the best way to answer these questions. CPRC will help bring these answers to the industry as they become available.
For more details on any CPRC activities, please contact Gord Speksnijder at the Canadian Poultry Research Council, 483 Arkell Road, R.R. #2, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 6H8. For more information, phone (289-251-2990), fax (519-837-3584), e-mail ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or visit us at www.cp-rc.ca.
The membership of the CPRC consists of the Chicken Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, the Turkey Farmers of Canada, the Egg Farmers of Canada and the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors’ Council. The CPRC’s mission is to address its members’ needs through dynamic leadership in the creation and implementation of programs for poultry research in Canada, which may also include societal concerns.
Scientists worldwide are contributing to a multi-pronged effort to understand how AI virus works and find better ways to keep it in check. The Canadian Poultry Research Council (CPRC) supports a number of research programs as part of this effort. The November 2010 edition of the CPRC Update described technology being developed at the University of Guelph that could interrupt the replication cycle of AI virus in the cell, thereby preventing spread of infection within or among poultry flocks. Another AI research program, also in Guelph, led by Dr. Shayan Sharif at the Ontario Veterinary College has been investigating how the chicken’s immune system reacts to exposure to AI virus. With a thorou gh understanding of the immune response, the scientific community will be able to work with industry in developing rational approaches to controlling AI infection in commercial poultry. Dr. Sharif’s group has already revealed important information on AI immunity and is building on past success to develop a comprehensive research program.
A collaborative approach
As part of the recently announced poultry science cluster, this research program has evolved to a highly collaborative effort to better understand how AI virus causes disease, how the disease is spread and how the chicken’s immune system reacts to it. The overall goal of the program is to develop strategies to manage AI. The effort involves researchers at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD); the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Winnipeg, Biologics Evaluation Laboratory; CFIA-Ottawa; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), University of Saskatchewan; and University of Guelph. The scientists have divided the work into subprojects designed to answer the following questions:
How does AI virus adapt?
The overall goal of this subproject is to determine the molecular basis of AI virus adaptation from its natural reservoir to domestic poultry. Using molecular techniques, the researchers will generate viruses that contain a mixture of genes from domestic poultry and wild birds, to be used as tools to study the role of gene combinations on viruses’ ability to infect poultry.
How is it transmitted?
This subproject will study airborne transmission of AI virus. The objectives are to develop a system that closely simulates aerosols in the poultry farm environment and to determine the minimum infectious dose of AI virus. This information will be integrated into risk assessment models to define restricted access zones during outbreaks.
How does the chicken react?
As part of this subproject, researchers will study immune responses elicited by AI virus with the objective of determining if the response can me modulated to improve the efficacy of AI vaccines. Immune responses will be compared when chickens are exposed to AI virus via various routes (such as the respiratory tract) and evaluate elicitation of immune response by AIV vaccines.
Is vaccination a viable strategy?
The overall goal of this subproject is to develop vaccine platforms against AI virus. The researchers will build on information gained from previous work, including that mentioned above, to develop safe and efficient delivery systems for AI vaccines. The plan is to develop rational vaccines and test their efficacy against AI virus in chickens.
There has been a lot of research effort in recent years towards a better understanding of AI virus, yet there remain many questions about its biology. The collaborative approach taken by the researchers involved in the poultry science cluster is deemed the best way to answer these questions. CPRC will help bring these answers to the industry as they become available.
For more details on any CPRC activities, please contact Gord Speksnijder at the Canadian Poultry Research Council, 483 Arkell Road, R.R. #2, Guelph, Ontario, N1H 6H8. For more information, phone (289-251-2990), fax (519-837-3584), e-mail ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or visit us at www.cp-rc.ca.
The membership of the CPRC consists of the Chicken Farmers of Canada, the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, the Turkey Farmers of Canada, the Egg Farmers of Canada and the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors’ Council. The CPRC’s mission is to address its members’ needs through dynamic leadership in the creation and implementation of programs for poultry research in Canada, which may also include societal concerns.