PCV2 vaccine reaches 2 billion pigs protected

The vaccine against Porcine Circovirus, type 2 (PCV2) is produced and marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim. The company speaks of it being ‘the most successful animal health vaccine of all time, based on yearly sales’.

In a press release, the company stated: “With more than 8 pigs vaccinated every second worldwide, the vaccine contributes to sustainable production and supply of healthy, nutritious pork around the world like no other vaccine.”

Pig farmers preventing disease

George Heidgerken, head of Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, said, “We are very proud of this milestone, and we know that it has been finally achieved by our customers – veterinarians and pig farmers around the world doing their best to prevent disease. We would like to thank them for the trust and loyalty they put into Ingelvac CircoFlex.”

He added, “We continue to strive to provide the best protection against Porcine Circovirus to the global pig industry by an integrated solutions approach. This includes the supply of a high quality vaccine and tailored customer services.”

Devastating impact on pig health

Porcine Circovirus Disease (PCVD) can have a devastating impact on the pigs’ health, causing suffering to the animals and economic damage to farmers. An infection with the PCV2 in unprotected pigs may lead to wasting, paleness of the skin, respiratory dysfunction (dyspnoea) or diarrhoea in piglets. PCV2 can also cause medically and economically relevant subclinical infections (infections without evident clinical signs).

The press release stated that Ingelvac CircoFlex provides proven protection without compromising safety with just one shot around weaning. It is licensed to be freshly mixed with Ingelvac MycoFlex to protect pigs with one shot against both, PCV2 and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae which causes respiratory disease in pigs. Ingelvac CircoFlex has been recently approved to be used in sows by the European Medicines Agency.