MSD launches poultry vaccine in India
MSD Animal Health (known as Merck Animal Health in USA and Canada) has announced the introduction of Innovax-ND-SB (or Innovax-ND) in India.
The product is an innovative single-dose recombinant vaccine, based on an HVT-vector, to protect poultry against two potentially devastating diseases: Newcastle disease and Marek’s disease (MD).
Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most costly diseases for poultry producers throughout the world. The cause of ND is a Paramyxo virus. Depending on the virulence of the ND virus strain the clinical signs can differ from subclinical disease leading to respiratory problems to widespread mortality and drops in egg production.
Conventional ND vaccination programs consist of vaccination with live, followed by inactivated ND vaccines. Marek’s disease is a disease which is present worldwide and is caused by a herpesvirus. There are generally two forms of Marek’s disease. The first, also called (classical) polyneuritis form, affects young birds (<16 weeks of age) and results in paralysis and mortality mostly from 5 - 6 weeks of age onwards. The second, also called “Acute Marek’s disease” is seen in birds older than 16 weeks of age. Infection results in tumors, high mortality and immunosuppression.
Innovax-ND-SB is conveniently administered in the hatchery either by in ovo application at 18 days of incubation or to chickens by subcutaneous injection at day of hatch.
“In case of high field infection pressure of ND, Innovax-ND-SB can conveniently be combined with live conventional ND in the hatchery,” explains Delair Bolis, MSD Animal Health Global Poultry. “Best of all it causes no vaccination reactions, does not require a second dose and often eliminates the need for additional field vaccination.”
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