Studies of Turkey Herpesvirus Viremia in Two Strains of Vaccinated Chickens: Strain Difference and Effects of Vaccine Dose

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Abstract
Turkey herpesvirus (HVT) viremia was studied at 3 wk intervals through 21 wk of age in individual chickens of experimental (WSU-VS) and commercial strains (C-WL) of White Leghorns vaccinated with graded doses of HVT. HVT viremia was consistently detectable in all WSU-VS birds through 21 wk postvaccination (PV) regardless of vaccine dose employed, whereas the viremia could not be detected in some of the C-WL birds 9 to 15 wk PV and thereafter. C-WL birds that lost detectable viremia remained so up to 21 wk PV, or returned to low levels of viremia which was followed in some birds again by no detectable viremia. Viremia titers were significantly lower in the C-WL than in the WSU-VS birds despite the same vaccination. Both strains of chickens exhibited significantly lower viremia titers when vaccinated with 240 plaqueforming units (PFU) than with 1480 or 6600 PFU of HVT and the C-WL birds lost detectable viremia earlier and more frequently with smaller vaccine doses. This observation indicated a possible genetic difference between the 2 strains of chickens in susceptibility and viremic response to HVT as well as dose-dependence of HVT viremia.

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