Advances in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Review Article
Adv. Anim. Vet. Sci. 2 (5): 305 - 311
http://dx.doi.org/10.14737/journal.aavs/2014/2.5.305.311
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Plantharayil Bharathan Aswathi1*, Subrat Kumar Bhanja1, Ajit Singh Yadav1, Valsala Rekha2, Jeny Kalluvila John2, Devi Gopinath2, Gurupriya Vijayasaraswathy Sadanandan2, Anil Shinde1, Aron Jacob2
1Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, UP, India; 2Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, U.P. India
*Corresponding author: aswathy.pb@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Plant based edible vaccines are one of the novel branches of vaccinology. Candidate antigen can be expressed on selected plant species through various biotechnological approaches. Stable integration of selected antigen into plant genome can be achieved through vector mediated or biolistic method of transgenesis. Another method is transient expression of candidate antigen using agroinfiltration or infection with modified RNA viruses. These types of vaccines have been developed against poultry diseases also. Immunogenic proteins of avibirnavirus (VP2), avian reo virus (σC), Newcastle disease virus (HN, F), avian coronavirus (S1), avian influenza virus (rHA0), chicken infectious anaemia virus (VP1) and Eimeria tenella (EtMIC2) were expressed in selected plants. Oral immunization with these transgenic plants followed by challenge with infectious organisms exhibited protective efficacy. Edible vaccines against poultry diseases are cost effective, thermostable and devoid of human or animal pathogens and microbial toxins. Other points in credit for edible vaccines include suitability for mass vaccination, ease of administration, storage stability, least stress, needle free delivery, no muscle damage etc. Commercial preparations of plant based edible vaccines are likely become a reality in near future. Before that, problems like standardization of expressed antigen concentration, vaccine composition, vaccine efficacy, safety and stability under field conditions have to be looked into. Plant based vaccines against various poultry diseases may become an alternative to conventional vaccination programmes in coming decades.

Key Words: Plant based edible vaccine, poultry diseases, transgenesis, oral immunization