avian insight A LOHMAN N ANIMAL H EALTH NEWS BRIEF August 2008 | Volume 1 Live attenuated vaccines: benefits of water stabilizers in drinking water and spray administrations Introduction The increasing demand foreconomical and rapidly available sources of animal protein has highly influenced th e constant growth of poultry operations around the world. The capacity of poultry to adapt to diverse geographical conditions and the fact that no large areas of land are required, have also contributed to the expansion and effi cienc y of commer cial poultry operations. As a result of their size increase, it has become necessary to develop and implement massive techniques for the administra- tion of live attenuated vaccines. The stimulation of immunity in a massively vaccinated popula- tion (herd immunity) reduces the probability of an individual bird in a vaccinated flock to bec ome infected (Marangon and Busani 2006). Since under fi eld condi- tions, it is unrealistic to expect a 100% protection of the birds in a vacc inated flock, the goal is to develop immunity in a high enough proportion of birds to prevent the transmission orminimize the adverse effects of a disease agent. For poultry, the ease and low cost have made spray and drinking water the preferred methods for massive administration of live attenuated vaccines in the farms. A poor administration is still the most common cause of vaccine failure in poultry. A successful administration of live attenuated vaccines by spray or drinking water requires an adequate preservation and proper delivery of the vaccine to the host. In this article, we describe the adverse effects a live vaccine might encounter during resus- pension and administration in suboptimal water, and the benefits of using water stabilizers during vaccination. Massive Administration of Live Vaccines During manufacturing, most live attenuated vaccines are subjected to a lyophilization process. Lyophilization, in By Iván R. Alvarado, DVM, MS, Ph.D., ACPV, Technical Services Veterinarian, Lohmann Animal Health International Dave Zacek President, Lohmann Animal Health inside …the ease and low cost have made spray and drinking water the preferred methods for massive administration of live attenuated vaccines in the farms. We will continue to invest in research, development and production to assure a steady supply of high quality avian biologics for the poultry industry. Live attenuated vaccines p.1 President’s Note p.4
