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Development of a low-dose fast-dissolving tablet formulation of Newcastle disease vaccine for low-cost backyard poultry immunisation.
Title | Development of a low-dose fast-dissolving tablet formulation of Newcastle disease vaccine for low-cost backyard poultry immunisation. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2014 |
Authors | Lal, M, Zhu, C, McClurkan, C, Koelle, DM, Miller, P, Afonso, C, Donadeu, M, Dungu, B, Chen, D |
Journal | Vet Rec |
Volume | 174 |
Issue | 20 |
Pagination | 504 |
Date Published | 2014 May 17 |
ISSN | 2042-7670 |
Abstract | The immunisation of backyard poultry is critical for maintaining healthy flocks to provide nutrition and income for low-resource farmers worldwide. A vaccine presentation for flocks of less than 50 birds could make it more affordable and accessible, increasing uptake and impact. Fast-dissolving tablets (FDT) of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccine were produced by freeze drying the LaSota NDV strain combined with excipients into tablets containing a small number of doses and packaged in polymer blister sheets. The NDV-FDT vaccine maintained virus stability for more than six months at 4°C, based on plaque assay and egg infectivity dose data. Stability was further confirmed in a challenge study, where the tablet vaccine elicited a strong immune response and provided 100 per cent protection to vaccinated chickens infected with a virulent strain of NDV. The vaccine tablet can be diluted in water (no needle or syringe required) and administered either in drinking water or with a dropper via an intraocular and/or intransal route. Results indicate that FDTs containing a small number of doses are a feasible presentation for backyard poultry farmers. The compact packaging of the FDTs will also provide cost savings in storing and distributing the vaccine in the cold chain. |
DOI | 10.1136/vr.101926 |
Alternate Journal | Vet. Rec. |
PubMed ID | 24591479 |