Study

Exposure of breeding albatrosses to the agent of avian cholera: dynamics of antibody levels and ecological implications

  • Published source details Gamble A., Garnier R., Jaeger A., Gantelet H., Thibault E., Tortosa P., Bourret V., Thiebot J., Delord K., Weimerskirch H., Tornos J., Barbraud C. & Boulinier T. (2019) Exposure of breeding albatrosses to the agent of avian cholera: dynamics of antibody levels and ecological implications. Oecologia, 189, 939-949.

Summary

Vaccinate against disease

A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in 2013–2017 on Amsterdam Island, Indian Ocean (Gamble et al. 2019) found that vaccinating Indian yellow-nosed albatross Thalassarche carteri adults against avian cholera induced an immune response but did not affect survival. Before injection, all individuals had negligible levels of avian cholera antibodies. Antibodies were detected in 85% of vaccinated individuals in the first few weeks after injection, then 76% of vaccinated individuals one year after injection. Throughout the study, vaccinated individuals contained more antibodies than individuals that had been naturally exposed to the disease (data reported as antibody titers). Birds vaccinated twice in the first few weeks of the study were more likely to test positive for antibodies one year later (85%) than birds vaccinated only once (52%). Vaccination did not affect adult survival over three years (reported as statistical model results). The study also reported beneficial effects of a booster vaccination after two years, and transfer of antibodies from mothers to chicks in the year after vaccination (see original paper). In late 2013, a total of 134 Indian yellow-nosed albatrosses were captured and ringed. Of these, 67 were vaccinated against avian cholera and 67 were injected with a placebo (salt solution). Two injections were given a few weeks apart. In 2015, twenty-six vaccinated birds were re-injected: 13 with a further booster vaccine, 13 with the placebo. Blood samples were taken from all birds before any injection, then from 11–57 birds/treatment a few weeks after the first injection and each breeding season thereafter. Summarized results are based on microagglutination tests. Adult survival was monitored by resighting ringed individuals over each breeding season from 2013/2014 to 2016/2017.

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