The protein coding assignments for each of the S genes of the avian reovirus S1133 have been determined. In vitro translation of RNA derived from individual S dsRNA genome segments demonstrated that the largest S gene, S1, codes for the smallest protein, sigma C; the S2 for sigma A; the S3 gene for sigma C; and the S4 gene for sigma NS. No other gene products could be identified. By examination...

Avian reovirus vaccines of the S1133 strain, used indirectly in the dams of challenged chicks, were found to confer protection against clinical signs and/or deaths resulting from the use of both homologous and heterologous challenge strains. There was some protection against every strain used, although this did vary in degree. It was difficult to relate this variation in protection to the diffe...

Sera from wild geese were tested for antibodies to selected viral pathogens at a resting site for wild waterfowl in Germany. Serum samples from both bean geese (Anser fabalis) and white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons) collected in October 1991 were examined using serological methods licensed for routine diagnosis in domestic poultry. Of 130 sera tested, antibodies to several infectious agents w...

Ten monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were prepared against the nonstructural protein sigmaNS of avian reovirus S1133. Eight of them were selected for two-way competitive binding assay after coupling with horseradish peroxidase. The results allowed the definition of three epitopes, designated A, B, and C. Blocking assay of poly(A)-Sepharose binding activity of sigmaNS with MAbs indicated that MAb re...

Mucosal surfaces are common sites of pathogen colonization/entry. Effective mucosal immunity by vaccination should provide protection at this primary infection site. Our aim was to develop a new vaccination strategy that elicits a mucosal immune response. A new strain of Enterococcus faecium, a non pathogenic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with strong cell adhesion ability, was identified and used ...