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<OL> <LI> Develop cassette concept for avian influenza hemagglutinin gene insert for recombinant fowl poxvirus vaccines. <LI> Update the H5 AI insert in current licensed recombinant fowl poxvirus product. <LI> Developing vaccination protocols for commercial poultry to maximize inactivated AI and recombinant fowl pox vaccine efficacies.
APPROACH: Avian influenza (AI) hemagglutinin genes for insertion in recombinant fowl poxvirus (rFP) vaccines will be accomplished based on collection, sequencing and analyzing current H5 AI field viruses. New rFP vaccines will be constructed and tested for efficacy in both high and low pathogenicity AI chicken and duck challenge models with measurement of protection being prevention of illness and death, increasing resistance to infection, reduction in number of infected birds and a decrease in the amount of challenge virus shed from respiratory and alimentary tracts. The rFP and inactivated AI vaccines will be tested in commercial poultry with development of priming and boost vaccination protocols to optimize immunity and protection.