Effect of Immune-Modulating Interventions on Trained Immunity and Disease Resistance Against Avian Influenza in Commercial Poultry: A Controlled Trial

This study examined the potential of trained immunity to improve disease resistance in chickens, by explicitly focusing on avian influenza. Trained immunity describes the capacity of the innate immune system to demonstrate memory, which leads to augmented responses to repeated infections. This study aimed to assess whether immunomodulatory therapies, including vaccination and microbiome supplementation, could enhance trained immunity and bolster immunological responses in chickens, considering the challenges presented by infectious illnesses in poultry production. A controlled experiment was performed at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, using 100 chickens segregated into two groups: a treatment group that received immunomodulatory interventions and a control group that did not. Blood and tissue specimens were obtained at baseline and 1, 2, and 4 weeks after the intervention to assess cytokine production (IL-6), macrophage activation, and pathogen resistance. Statistical techniques, such as repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square testing, were used to assess the groups' immune responses and infection rates. These findings indicated that the treatment group displayed markedly elevated levels of IL-6 and enhanced macrophage activation relative to the control group. The treatment group exhibited a 30% decrease in avian influenza infection rate, underscoring the efficacy of trained immunity in bolstering disease resistance. These data indicate that trained immunity may effectively enhance immune responses and decrease pathogen susceptibility in chickens, thereby presenting a viable alternative to conventional disease management methods. These results highlight the necessity for additional research to investigate the long-term implications of trained immunity in chickens and their relevance to other infectious illnesses. This study provides significant insights into chicken health management, and establishes a foundation for future studies to enhance and broaden the application of trained immunity in poultry farming.