Intervet develops prototype for mass application avian influenza vaccine

Together with scientists at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) in Germany, Intervet has developed a prototype for a new generation vaccine offering protection against both infections which can be mass applied by spraying instead of injecting.

The new prototype vaccine consists of a safe live vaccine against Newcastle Disease (a condition affecting many bird species), which acts as a carrier for the haemagglutinin gene-the vital genetic material needed to build immunity against the avian influenza virus.
 
The new vaccine-which is scheduled to undergo field trials next year-can also be used on large numbers of birds as an efficient marker vaccine to help differentiate between infected and vaccinated birds.