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Changes in the expression levels of avian β-defensin (AvBD) mRNA were evaluated in necrotic enteritis (NE) disease model in 2 genetically disparate commercial broiler chicken lines: Ross and Cobb. The NE was initiated in the gut by a previously established co-infection model using oral Eimeria maxima infection followed by a Clostridium perfringens challenge. Among the 14 AvBD types examined, there was a tissue-specific expression of AvBD transcripts: AvBD1, AvBD7, and AvBD9 in the crop; AvBD8, AvBD10, and AvBD13; in the intestine and AvBD1 and AvBD7 in the spleen. The 2 different commercial broiler chicken lines showed differential gene expression patterns of AvBD transcripts following co-infection with E. maxima and C. perfringens, with R-line chickens generally showing higher expression levels than the C strain. Both chicken strains showed enhanced gene expression levels of proinflammatory …