Production of a Candidate Vaccine for Avian Coccidiosis in Maize

Avian coccidiosis caused by Eimeria is an endemic disease of poultry causing enormous lossesto the industry. It is controlled with anticoccidiodal drugs and live vaccines based on Eimeriaoocysts. Development of antibiotic resistant pathogens and changing consumer preferences havecreated an urgent need for new approaches to vaccination. Several antigens separately show somedegree of protection as candidate subunit vaccines. The simultaneous use of multiple antigens islikely to have a greater protective effect but a simple and cost effective method of production andadministration would facilitate development of an effective vaccine.Plant systems can supply large amounts of vaccine antigens with minimal equipment and costcompared to other systems. Expression of various candidates in plants elicits an immune responseand confers protection on challenge. A maize-based system has emerged as a viable platform forproduction that can overcome barriers to commercialization and antigens in minimally processedmaize grain are heat-stable and suitable for direct feeding.The purpose of this project will be to prepare transgenic maize lines expressing three antigensfrom Eimeria as a candidate subunit vaccine for chickens. The antigens will be expressed as threetranscription units in one maize line. Ground meal from transgenic seed will be fed to chickens foranalysis of immune response and protection from challenge. Successful completion of the workwill lead to future development of a low-cost heat-stable efficacious oral vaccine for aviancoccidiosis. Commercialization directed to major poultry producers will be undertaken with ourpartner Mazen Animal Health.