November 4, 2010

USDA approves Innovax-ND vaccine for chickens

Innovax-ND, a recombinant vaccine that helps aid in the protection of Newcastle and Marek's diseases in chickens with one dose, has been approved for use in the US by the USDA.

The vaccine is conveniently administered by ovo injection to 18-day chicken embryos. "It causes no reactions and does not require a second dose, making it much easier for poultry producers to protect their flocks," said Dr. Charles Broussard, US poultry technical services director for Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health, which developed the vaccine.

Vaccination and biosecurity are key to avoiding potentially massive economic losses due to Newcastle disease (ND), the world's most prevalent poultry disease. The threat of exotic, more virulent ND strains - which struck Southern California commercial flocks in the early 2000s and recently wild birds in Minnesota - is ever present, so ND prevention remains critical, Broussard says.

Innovax-ND utilises the herpesvirus of turkey (HVT) to carry Newcastle disease (ND) antigens, which induce immunity against ND. HVT also protects chickens against Marek's disease, which is caused by a herpesvirus and results in tumors, high mortality and immunosuppression.

"Innovax-ND is water-based and eliminates the need for stressful, oil-based, inactivated ND vaccines," Broussard said. "It can also replace conventional, live ND vaccines, which are associated with rolling reactions as well as time and labour costs when they are applied in the field," he said.

A sister product to Innovax-ND is Innovax-ND-SB, which helps prevent ND and Marek's disease, but also contains the SB-1 strain of chicken herpesvirus (serotype 2) to prevent very virulent Marek's. Innovax-ND-SB was the first recombinant vaccine of its kind and has been used successfully in the US and Mexico. Innovax-ND was developed to give producers more flexibility with their vaccination programs, Broussard said.