FOWL ADENOVIRUS RECOMBINANT EXPRESSING VP2 OF INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS INDUCES PROTECTIVE IMMUNITY AGAINST BURSAL DISEASE

The right hand end Nde I fragment 3 (90.8-100 map units) of the fowl a denovirus serotype 10 (FAV-10) was characterised so as to allow the lo cation of an insertion site for recombinant vector construction. Infec tious bursal disease virus (IBDV) VP2 gene from the Australian classic al strain 002/73, under the control of the FAV-10 major late promoter/ leader sequence (MLP/LS) was inserted into a unique Not I site that wa s generated at 99.5 map units. This recombinant virus was produced wit hout deletion of any portion of the FAV-10 genome. When administered t o specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens intravenously, intraperitoneal ly, subcutaneously or intramuscularly, it was shown that the FAV-10/VP 2 recombinant induced a serum VP2 antibody response and protected chic kens against challenge with IBDV V877, an intermediate virulent classi cal strain. Birds were not protected when the recombinant was delivere d via the conjunctival sac.