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Syringe and needle; needle and syringe. These two words have long gone together…but maybe not any more. Two companies have developed new technologies that use compressed gases to propel vaccines without needles.

How do they work?

Needle-less vaccinators use the force of CO₂ or compressed air to deliver vaccines through the skin and into muscle without needles. The force of the compressed gas, driven through a specially designed opening, propels vaccines through the skin. By varying the force applied, vaccine can be given under the skin (subcutaneously) or directly into muscle.

By avoiding the sting of a needle, pig comfort is improved. In comparison trials, pigs react much less to needle-less vaccination as compared to conventional methods. In some cases, pigs may not even realize they've been vaccinated.

Obviously, by removing the needle, there is no chance for bent or broken needle damage. Diseases like PRRS cannot be spread without a needle. By distributing vaccine uniformly within muscle tissues, the immune system can efficiently respond to vaccines just as well as with conventional needle delivery.

Protection is the proof

Researchers at Iowa State University compared the serologic responses to Mycoplasma and Pseudorabies vaccines. No differences in serologic response between conventional and needle-less vaccination were detected.

Challenge studies provide the final proof. A Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae challenge study done at Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, using Ingelvac^® M. hyo, showed needle-less vaccination does work. By using compressed gas, the Impran^® adjuvant product was administered as easily as less immunogenic water based products.

Added PQA & staff safety benefits

Skipping needles can reduce vaccination costs by 5¢ a pig or more. And needle fragments in pork and beef products are still the number one product quality issue that packers face! Handling and vaccinating pigs could be safer for farm staff as well. Saving money, improving pork quality and a safer work place… sounds like a winning combination.

To BIVI

Contact Information

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
2621 North Belt
Highway, St. Joseph,
MO 64506-2002

Phone numbers

Order Entry: 1-800-325-9167
Fax Line: 1-816-236-2717
www.bi-vetmedica.com

Denagard is a trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., St. Joseph, MO.

Ingelvac and Impran are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, GmbH, Ingelheim, Germany.

More information

Thacker BJ, et al. Serological and safety evaluation of a needle-free, transdermal injection device. Submitted Proc IPVS 2002.

BIVI Study 6113-0004-02P-013.

Felton International, 8210 Marshall Drive, Lenexa, KS 66214. Phone (913) 599-1590.

Kiwi Enterprises, 8056 Old Exchange Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. Phone (719) 264-1304.