August 25, 2009

Lohmann Animal Health's AviPro® Megan® Egg is a live attenuated salmonella vaccine specifically developed to protect egg layers against salmonella enteritidis infection.

According to Lohmann, the vaccine reduces the colonisation of the intestinal tract and ceca by salmonella enteritidis, and is the only commercial live salmonella vaccine with a claim to protect ovaries and oviducts.

AviPro® Megan® Egg is for use in pullets and laying hens to protect against infection from salmonella enteritidis that is known to contaminate eggs. Pullets generally receive 3 vaccinations during the growing period, providing protection against contamination during the laying cycle.

The vaccine, which is administered through coarse spray vaccination at 2, 4 and 16 weeks of age, is derived from a naturally-occurring salmonella typhimurium that has been genetically modified to impair two genes that are important for normal growth and metabolism.

The modifications to the cya and crp genes result in an organism that is completely distinct from salmonella species.