Before being administered to birds—whether by spray, subcutaneous injection, or gel—vaccines must first be properly reconstituted. This critical step requires expertise to preserve the vaccine’s integrity and ensure its full efficacy.
Bronchitis: a freeze-dried vaccine
Poultry vaccines manufacturers provide different kind of vaccines to control poultry diseases. For infectious bronchitis respiratory vaccine, the live-attenuated vaccine vials contain the live virus in a lyophilized (freeze-dried) form. In other words, a powder to be mixed with a diluent – water for bronchitis – to provide the final vaccine ready for administration.
Storage: 2-8°C in a fridge
Prior to any handling and administration, it all starts with the vaccine storage in appropriate conditions. Meaning in a refrigerator at a recommended range of +2°C to +8°C. Maintaining the cold chain always is critical, to preserve the immunogenicity of the vaccine. In other words, the vaccine’s ability to rise in birds an immune response strong enough to generate long-lasting protection against field viruses. In case of an immunization failure, birds will not develop enough antibody titer levels, making them at risk in terms of disease during the whole production cycle. It’s what is called a chick vaccination program failure.
Not to mentioned that the shelf life of the Poultry vaccines manufacturers should be respected and expired vial of vaccines discarded immediately.
Good Vaccination Practice
Good Vaccination Practice (GVP) includes the entire process from storage, preparation and administration. Such standardized operational procedures are provided by Poultry vaccines manufacturers to reconstitute vaccine vials properly and should be strictly followed to ensure the vaccine efficacy. Hence the importance of regular on-site trainings by vaccination experts. As well as communication materials such as short video tutorials and posters. Nowadays more than ever, considering the important turn-over hatcheries are facing.
Preventing microbial contamination
Aseptic techniques for handling and preparing should be respected to prevent direct or indirect microbial contamination. This means global health care of the operator but also single use of syringes, needles and gloves. A dedicated area, inside the hatchery, should be dedicated to this activity only, and kept clean without a trace of disinfectants. Because infectious bronchitis virus – gamma coronavirus - is an encapsulated virus. Therefore, susceptible by direct or indirect exposure to most common disinfectants (such as chlorine) and to heat (especially sunlight). Which can inactivate or reduce its effectiveness. For the same reason, heavy metals are prohibited, and usage of non-metallic recipients are recommended for the preparation of the vaccine.
Distilled water for vaccine viability
Once all the previous recommendations considered, the very first step to reconstitute the infectious bronchitis vaccine is to calculate the volume of water needed. According to the vaccine doses, day-old chicks per crate and volume sprayed by the machine. And with good water quality: distilled water at 8 to 25°C with pH ranking between 6.5 to 7.5. Or at least water with a low level in terms of mineralization.
Steps to reconstitute the vaccine
Two methods are commonly seen in the field, with usage of syringes and needles, or directly by removing the rubber part of the vaccine vial into a container full of distilled water. The first method is recommended, to ensure aseptic conditions and therefore both the integrity and effectiveness of the vaccine.
- fulfill with distilled water (5 to 10mL) a 20 mL syringe equipped with a 18G needle
- insert the distilled water into the vaccine vial containing the vaccine in powder form
- mix thoroughly to obtain the vaccine reconstituted
- remove the vaccine solution completely with the syringe
- put the vaccine solution into the vaccine tank of the hatchery sprayer machine
Always contact your Ceva vaccination services & equipment expert for assistance. Please do not add any probiotic, prebiotic or antibiotic to the vaccine solution as it may impact the spray pattern (esp. droplet size) and lead to vaccination failure.
