One-shot live APP vaccine for piglets launched
With funding from Pork CRC, Australian scientists have developed a new one-shot vaccine delivery system against the endemic pig disease Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (APP).
Key partners in the APP-alive vaccine and vaccination procedure were the Australian Pork Farms Group, Victoria Department of Primary Industries and QAF Meat Industries.
South Australian veterinarian and piggery manager, Dr McKenzie explained that the new vaccine is administered nasally to baby pigs and requires one dose. “The pigs are given a small challenge dose with live bacteria, while they’re protected by maternally derived colostral immunity.”
He added that “the vaccine [..] doesn’t create disease, but an immunological response when given to the piglets of sows immune to the disease. Its use in piglets of sows that have not been exposed to the disease is contraindicated.”
Trials
McKenzie ran a recent Pork CRC workshop in South Australia on the APP vaccine and was heavily involved in trialling it. According to him, the new vaccine ‘has proven highly effective’.
The technology has been adopted by two commercial participants of the Pork CRC through a manufacturing license agreement with ACE Laboratories, Bendigo, Victoria.
The vaccine will only be available on prescription under a special use permit through veterinarians. Other APP vaccines on the market are either sub-unit vaccines or bacterins, both requiring a two shot injection regime.
Related websites:
• Pork CRC
• Australian Pork
• Victoria Department of Primary Industries
• QAF Meat Industries
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