Refinement of the production of antigen-specific hen egg yolk antibodies (IgY) intended for passive dietary immunization in animals. A review

Abstract

Antibodies have become essential tools in recent decades, with a wide range of applications in the laboratory and in human and veterinary medicine. The use of laying hens, instead of mammals, to obtain the necessary antibodies from the eggs is a major advance in terms of animal welfare because it makes blood sampling obsolete. However, the advantages of this technology are numerous, in addition to the animal welfare aspect. With a carefully designed immunization protocol, it is possible to enhance both the hen's immune response and its welfare during the process. This review puts forward recommendations how to do this and discusses recent approaches on improving the technology.

Keywords

• Immunoglobulins
• passive immunity
• adjuvants
• vaccines
• animal welfare