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In-shell vaccinations developed by industry
Chicks can now be vaccinated while still in their
shells to protect them against a disease that costs the industry millions.
Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes
losses of €35.9 million a year and is the most costly infectious disease to the
poultry industry. The new vaccine, which has been developed by the Institute for
Animal Health (IAH) and Intervet UK, can be injected into eggs with robotic
vaccinators.
The new vaccine is far more efficient than existing types, which are
normally sprayed or put in drinking water. The vaccine was developed by
extracting a so-called spike protein from a pathogenic virus strain which
triggers an immune response, and incorporating it into a harmless non-pathogenic
strain.
“This hybrid virus was able to induce immunity when inoculated before
hatching. When hatched chicks were exposed to the virulent M41 strain, we
observed protection rates of up to 100%," according to Dr. Paul Britton, from
IAH. “With the UK poultry industry sustaining losses of €35.9 million a year to
infectious bronchitis virus we hope that our research could have a real impact
on improving yields for UK farmers.
“We are currently trying to modify the vaccine further, in collaboration
with Intervet, to make it suitable for commercial use,†he said.
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Editor WorldPoultry
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