The Long Road Ahead: Unravelling the Immune Response to Campylobacter in the Chicken
Paul Wigley and Suzanne Humphrey
from: Campylobacter Ecology and Evolution (Edited by: Samuel K. Sheppard). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2014)
Abstract
Chicken is the most important reservoir for Campylobacter, yet relatively little is known about its interaction between the chicken immune system. Campylobacter infection of the chicken gastrointestinal tract elicits an initial inflammatory response, but this differs in nature and is lower in magnitude than the well-understood response to Salmonella. Campylobacter is recognized by the host via a panel of Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) notably TLR-4 and TLR-21. However, the response results is little pathology leading several observers to consider there is a tolerogenic response in the chicken. Campylobacter may also be invasive leading to liver infection and there is clear evidence of activation of adaptive immunity from recent transcriptional studies. The nature and role of adaptive responses is poorly understood, though maternally derived antibody is considered to protect against early colonization. This chapter reviews what is known of the immune response to Campylobacter in the chicken and the prospects of control through vaccination or breeding for genetic resistance. We will also focus on areas where future research can begin to address the considerable gaps in our knowledge read more ...
