A multiepitope vaccine encoding four Eimeria epitopes with PLGA nanospheres: a novel vaccine candidate against coccidiosis in laying chickens

Table 5 The protective effects of NSLC-PLGA nanospheres through different immune routes.

Immune route	Group	Coefficient of growth (14–28 days of age)		Coefficient of growth (28–35 days of age)		Oocyst burden in caecal contents		Oocyst reduction (%)
Immune route	Group	Value (%)	p value	Value (%)	p value	Value (× 10⁶, OPG)	p value	Oocyst reduction (%)
Intramuscular	NSLC-PLGA	140.515 ± 19.453	0.4876	36.483 ± 14.973	0.0036	0.905 ± 0.336	<0.0001	75.614
Intramuscular	Blank	130.595 ± 39.764	–	18.510 ± 8.074	–	3.710 ± 0.930	–	–
Intraoral	NSLC-PLGA	129.593 ± 14.330	0.2116	30.756 ± 21.551	0.1458	2.198 ± 0.417	<0.0001	46.871
Intraoral	Blank	116.634 ± 28.205	–	19.535 ± 8.958	–	4.137 ± 0.899	–	–
Intramucosal	NSLC-PLGA	122.197 ± 43.538	0.6250	37.386 ± 8.511	0.0003	1.326 ± 0.360	<0.0001	65.520
Intramucosal	Blank	111.758 ± 50.104	–	21.388 ± 7.488	–	3.847 ± 0.760	–	–

Ten animals in each group were weighed at 14 (before the first immunization), 28 (before challenge), and 35 (seven days after challenge) days of age, and animals in each group were challenged with E. tenella at 28 days of age and euthanized seven days later. The caecal contents were collected to evaluate the effects of different immune routes on the protective efficacy of NSLC-PLGA nanospheres. Each sample was assessed once, and values were estimated by the independent t test. Values of oocyst burden are shown as the mean ± SD (n = 10). p values were obtained by comparison with the blank group.

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