Proper Use of Inactivated Poultry Vaccines

I nactivated vaccines now are commonly-used tools to stimulate the immune systems of layers and breeders. For viral antigens, inactivated vaccines are used primarily to induce a prolonged antibody response in birds which have previously received live virus vaccines. For bacterial antigens, these vaccines are typically used in birds which have not previously been vaccinated with a live bacterial vaccine. Inactivated viral vaccines are used routinely to stimulate high levels of humoral immunity to Newcastle disease virus, infectious bursal disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus and reovirus. Inactivated bacterial vaccines, also commonly called bacterins, are often used to induce immunity to Pasteurella multocida, Salmonella sp., and Haemophilus paragallinarum. Like all management tools, inactivated vaccines must be correctly handled and used. Proper injection is required for optimum stimulation of the bird’s immune system. There also may be side effects, such as tissue reaction at the site of injection and induction of false-positive tests for mycoplasmas. Proper injection technique, site selected for injection and the timing of injection all can be managed to minimize the impact of these side effects.