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Infection and Immunity, February 2003, p. 857-863, Vol. 71, No. 2
0019-9567/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.71.2.857-863.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Protection of Chickens against Escherichia coli Infections by DNA Containing CpG Motifs

Susantha Gomis,^1,2* Lorne Babiuk,^1,3 Dale L. Godson,³ Brenda Allan,¹ Tannis Thrush,¹ Hugh Townsend,¹ Philip Willson,¹ Edwin Waters,² Rolf Hecker,⁴ and Andrew Potter¹

Veterinary Infectious Disease Organization, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3;,¹ Department of Veterinary Microbiology,³ Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5B4,² QIAGEN-GmbH, 40724 Hilden Germany⁴

Received 6 May 2002/ Returned for modification 3 August 2002/ Accepted 31 October 2002

Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) containing CpG motifs (CpG-ODN) have been shown to be effective immunoprotective agents in murine models for a variety of viral, intracellular bacterial, and protozoan infections. Until now, the use of CpG-ODN to protect against extracellular bacterial infections has not been reported. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of CpG-ODN against cellulitis and colibacillosis in broiler chickens, using a well-established model. At 22 days of age, birds received CpG-ODN by either the subcutaneous or intramuscular route. Three days later, a virulent isolate of Escherichia coli was applied to a scratch site on the caudal abdominal skin. Birds were examined for 10 days after the E. coli challenge, and pathological and bacteriological assessments were conducted on all birds. The control group of birds receiving no CpG-ODN⁽²⁰⁰⁷⁾ had a survival rate of 15%. In contrast, groups that received CpG-ODN⁽²⁰⁰⁷⁾, by either subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, had significantly higher survival rates (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the size of the cellulitis lesion was significantly smaller in groups that received CpG-ODN⁽²⁰⁰⁷⁾ by the subcutaneous route (P < 0.01). A dose of as little as 3.16 µg of CpG-ODN⁽²⁰⁰⁷⁾, delivered 3 days prior to challenge by either the subcutaneous or intramuscular route, significantly protected birds against E. coli infection (P < 0.01). This study demonstrates that CpG-ODN⁽²⁰⁰⁷⁾ has both local and systemic protective effects in broiler chickens. This is the first time that CpG-ODN⁽²⁰⁰⁷⁾ has been demonstrated to have an immunoprotective effect against an extracellular bacterial infection in any food animal species.

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* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Dr., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5B4. Phone: (306) 966-7299. Fax: (306) 966-7439. E-mail: susantha.gomis{at}usask.ca.

Published with the permission of the Director of VIDO as journal series no. 317.

Editor: V. J. DiRita

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Infection and Immunity, February 2003, p. 857-863, Vol. 71, No. 2
0019-9567/03/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.71.2.857-863.2003
Copyright © 2003, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

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