Lauric acid glycerides boost immune response to infectious bronchitis

A trial was conducted with broilers that were vaccinated or not with an attenuated infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Chickens that received dietary glycerides of lauric acid on top of vaccination displayed stronger natural defense mechanisms. Their primary immune response was more pronounced, as shown by a higher anti-IBV titer. In addition, their cellular immune response was more effective.

Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid that has been described to have unique antimicrobial and antiviral activities in vitro. Esterifying lauric acid into glycerides of lauric acid (GLA) magnifies its biological activity. Moreover, a GLA product (FRA C12) was already demonstrated to stimulate the secondary humoral immune response to a booster infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccine, as indicated by increased anti-IBV titer values in the serum of 42-day-old broilers.