A proven reference for the reduction of Newcastle disease

Besides biosecurity, there is a need to get access to vaccines with the best features in terms of protection, but also prevention against the uncontrolled circulation of avian paramyxovirus type 1, also known as Newcastle disease virus in its pathogenic (‘velogenic’) form.

Vectormune ND is an innovative vector vaccine which elicits an early, broad and long-lasting immunity; vaccinated chickens shed significantly less virus than unvaccinated ones.

A recent publication* about Vectormune ND provided the additional asset of significantly reducing the likelihood of virus transmission among birds. Indeed, a velogenic Newcastle disease virus was provided with a reproduction ratio (R0) figure of 3.20, which basically means that 10 infected chickens are able to transmit the disease to 32 new birds, hence explaining the spreading capacity of this disease to neighbouring houses. The outcome will be increased losses, including high mortality rate in case of velogenic strains. On the contrary, in Vectormune ND-vaccinated broilers, this R0 dropped to 0.82, which means that vaccinated flocks will significantly reduce and slow down the spread of the virus. In addition, they will survive thanks to strong protection.

This publication helps us to understand that the innovative vector vaccine controls and prevents Newcastle disease outbreaks despite a different genotype between challenge strain and vaccine insert.

Figure – Kinetics of velogenic Newcastle disease virus shedding in vaccinated and unvaccinated birds after direct infection (seeder subgroups) or contact infection (contact subgroups). Seeder subgroups were challenged with 5.0 log ₁₀ ELD ₅₀ of velogenic Newcastle disease virus intra-nasally. Contacts were co-mingled with seeders from 8 hours post-challenge. Oro-nasal swabs and cloacal swabs were collected daily for 14 days post-challenge; velogenic Newcastle disease virus amount was quantified by RT-qPCR. Individual results and mean & STD of Ct values are shown.

Figure: Ceva Animal Health

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In conclusion, Vectormune ND is a strong tool to break the uncontrolled transmission of Newcastle disease virus among chickens in a house, in between houses, and ultimately among farms in a densely populated poultry area. Hence, Vectormune ND helps to prevent and control Newcastle disease outbreaks in the poultry industry and protects the performance of the birds. This way, Ceva Animal Health provides more evidence towards supporting its customers worldwide to achieve their targets.

* Tatár-Kis T, Fischer EAJ, Cazaban C, Walkó-Kovács E, Homonnay ZG, Velkers FC, Palya V, Stegeman JA. A Herpesvirus of Turkey-Based Vector Vaccine Reduces Transmission of Newcastle Disease Virus in Commercial Broiler Chickens with Maternally Derived Antibodies. Vaccines (Basel). 2020 Oct 16;8(4):614. doi: 10.3390/vaccines8040614. PMID: 33081359; PMCID: PMC7720113.