Pair-epitopes vaccination: enabling offspring vaccination in the presence of maternal antibodies

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Immunology
• Avian Health
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Maternally derived antibodies (MDAs) provide crucial early-life immunity in offspring but have a short half-life.
• Declining MDA levels create a protection gap before offspring develop their own immunity, especially when MDAs interfere with neonatal vaccination.
• This gap leaves young animals vulnerable to pathogens during a critical developmental window.

Discussion:

• A novel vaccination concept proposes immunizing mothers and progeny with different neutralizing epitopes of the same pathogen.
• This strategy aims to maintain MDA-mediated protection while allowing progeny to develop an immune response to distinct epitopes.
• It leverages pathogens with multiple neutralizing epitopes, such as avian viruses like Newcastle disease virus and infectious bursal disease virus.

Key Insights:

• Vaccinating with distinct epitopes allows progeny to mount an immune response without interference from MDAs.
• This approach ensures sustained immunity by bridging the period between MDA decline and the development of self-immunity.
• The concept is applicable to subunit or vector-based vaccines for various avian viral diseases.

Outlook:

• This innovative vaccination approach holds promise for providing continuous protection in young animals.
• It addresses a significant challenge in vaccinology, particularly in poultry, by overcoming MDA interference.
• Further research and application of this strategy could enhance disease prevention and animal welfare.