Considerations for Simultaneous use of Oral Vaccines
The use of oral vaccines via the drinking water has proven to be a highly effective and convenient approach to swine herd immunization. The stimulation of mucosal and cellular immunity provides solid protection against enteric diseases such as proliferative enteropathy/ileitis and salmonellosis, as well as systemic pathogens whose normal route of exposure is oral.
Don Walter, DVM, with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., says the use of oral vaccines through the drinking water, labor requirements are dramatically reduced, worker safety is improved and injection site reactions with associated packer and consumer dissatisfaction are avoided. Th e United States Department of Agriculture approved the simultaneous use of Enterisol® Ileitis FF, Enterisol® SC-54 FF and Ingelvac® ERY-ALC oral swine vaccines.
“Because exposure to these pathogens is common in U.S. swine production, many herds could benefi t from their collective use,” Walter says. “For many producers it is simpler to manage a single rather than multiple antimicrobial-free vaccination windows.
It is important to ensure that onset of exposure to infection for all targeted pathogens are prevented prior to and for several weeks post-vaccination to allow for adequate onset of immunity. For Lawsonia, vaccination should be as late as possible while ensuring that vaccination occurs at least 3-4 weeks prior to natural Lawsonia exposure.
• Antimicrobial contamination of feed must be prevented and both antimicrobials and sanitizers (chlorine, peroxides, etc) must be avoided in drinking water.”
• Efficacy of immunization should be a high priority when contemplating simultaneous use of oral vaccines.
• Whenever erysipelas is included in the simultaneous administration mix, vaccination should not occur before 8 weeks of age.
• Whenever simultaneous use of any 2 or 3 of these vaccines is implemented, all feed antimicrobials should be withheld for a minimum of one week, longer if possible (7-14 days post-vaccination), around the time of vaccination.
• Seroprofi ling and strategic use of feed antimicrobials can help optimize vaccination timing and effi cacy.
• When it makes sense to do so, simultaneous vaccination with oral vaccines is a safe, effective and convenient means of population immunization.