Serotype specificity of B-haplotype influence on the relative efficacy of Marek's disease vaccines

B-haplotype genes in the chicken were previously shown to differentially influence vaccine efficacy against challenge with very virulent Marek's disease virus according to the type of Marek's disease (MD) vaccine used. To determine whether MD vaccines of the same serotype gave comparable levels of protection against MD in chickens of the same haplotype challenged with MD virus strain Md5, two serotype 1 and two serotype 2 vaccines were compared with one serotype 3 vaccine using chickens of 15-B-congenic lines. There was a strong correlation in development of MD lesions among chickens of the different lines receiving the two serotype 2 vaccines (r = 0.94) as well as among chickens receiving the two serotype 1 vaccines (r = 0.76). The serotype 1 vaccines were preferable for B2, B13, B15, and B21, but serotype 2 vaccines were more protective for B5 chickens. The two serotype 2 vaccines gave equivalent protection; however, of the serotype 1 vaccines, CVI988/Rispens provided more protection than Md11/75c/R2/23. We conclude that the B-haplotype influence on MD vaccine efficacy is dependent on the serotype of the vaccine.