USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a research project focused on creating a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine platform for two major poultry viruses: infectious bronchitis virus and infectious laryngotracheitis virus. The research is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing and is made possible in part through proceeds from the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo.

Project #F97: Development of mRNA-based Vaccines for Heterosubtypic Protection Against Infectious Bronchitis Viruses and Infectious Laryngotracheitis

(Dr. Stephen Spatz, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, Ga.)

Researchers from the U.S. National Poultry Research Center successfully designed plasmids (DNA templates) that can hold a stable, segmented poly(A) tail — an improvement that helps make mRNA more reliably. This type of vaccine could avoid many problems seen with current live or recombinant vaccines, such as the risk of the virus returning to a harmful form, interference from maternal antibodies or complications from multiple vaccine viruses interacting. Overall, these findings lay important groundwork for developing safer and more effective next-generation vaccines for poultry diseases that cause major economic losses.

The research summary can be found on the USPOULTRY website. Information on other Association research may also be obtained by visiting the USPOULTRY website, uspoultry.org.