ENHANCEMENT OF ANTIBODY-RESPONSE OF TURKEYS TO TRIVALENT AVIAN INFLUENZA VACCINE BY POSITIVELY CHARGED LIPOSOMAL AVRIDINE ADJUVANT

Trivalent avian influenza (AIV) antigens (H4N8, H5N2 and H7N3), mixed with positively charged, negatively charged and neutral avridine-containing liposomes, and oil-emulsion were subcutaneously administered to 6-week-old turkeys. Charged liposomal avridine adjuvant, either positive or negative, produced a better antibody response than uncharged liposomal avridine or oil-emulsion adjuvants when used in a trivalent avian influenza vaccine. The antibody response to the different antigens was generally greater to the positively charged adjuvanted vaccine compared with the negatively or neutral charged or oil-emulsion adjuvanted vaccines and these differences were significant (p < 0.05) with the three antigens. The results suggest that the positively charged liposomal avridine plays a significant role as adjuvant to the AIV antigens.