Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the impact of chicken interleukin-2 rich supernatant (ChIL2-rich supernatant) on humoral immune response against Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), and its side effects on production and reproduction performances. Eighty 40-week old female and ten male Fayoumi hens were vaccinated with NDV (La Sota strain). The treated birds were co-administered with ChIL2-rich supernatant. While, the control birds were injected with saline. Data were collected during the period from 40 to 45 weeks of age.
The results indicated that ChIL2-rich supernatant injection enhanced the humoral immunity against NDV antigens throughout the experimental period. It also increased the relative spleen weight. On the other hand, ChIL2-rich supernatant injection did not influence relative liver and ovary weights, hen day egg production, egg weights, fertility or hatchability significantly.
The results of this study demonstrated that, ChIL2-rich supernatant injection could be safely used as an adjuvant to enhance the humoral immunity against NDV with no deleterious effects on production or reproduction performances.