The Poultry Vaccine Science Behind “Turkey Herpes”
I’ll admit, “turkey herpes” was not on my agriculture news bingo card today. But it turns out that the herpesvirus of turkey is actually being utilized in some significant poultry vaccines.
Scientists use this virus as a vector—a carrier—combined with genetic material from other poultry viruses. The outcome is a recombinant HVT vaccine, a technology that protects chickens against diseases like Newcastle disease, infectious bursal disease, and infectious laryngotracheitis.
Currently, researchers are focused on improving these vaccines.
HVT must be cultivated inside living cells, and the variations in these cells can influence the infectivity of each vaccine dose. Recently, researchers at North Carolina State University experimented with a new growth method that enhanced vaccine titers fivefold and improved infectivity by 300 percent, while also halving dose variability.
Importantly, these vaccines maintained their safety and efficacy. This innovative approach could eventually lead to more efficient vaccine production, reduced costs, and more consistent dosing at hatcheries.
