EMERGENCY VACCINATION OF PIGS AGAINST FOOT-AND-MOUTH-DISEASE - PROTECTION AGAINST DISEASE AND REDUCTION IN CONTACT TRANSMISSION

The protective ability of two novel oil-based FMD vaccines in pigs was examined. Both vaccine formulations were shown to protect pigs agains t airborne challenge with homologous FMDV within four days of vaccinat ion, but not at two and three days post-vaccination. Protection was as sociated with the induction of variable and low titre serum antibody r esponses, A transmission study showed that protective immunisation res ulted in reduced virus excretion. Vaccination at seven days, but not a t four days, prior to challenge prevented contact transmission of FMD. The two formulations tested in this study have the favourable charact eristics of low viscosity, low reactivity and high potency emergency F MD vaccines for use in strategic vaccination campaigns to assist the c ontrol of outbreaks of FMD. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.