Field experience with vaccination in turkeys in Morocco Taoufik RAWI M.C.I Santé Animale (Morocco)
Field experience with vaccination in turkeys in Morocco Taoufik Rawi, DVM, MBA Head Of Technical Support & Marketing M.C.I. Santé Animale, Mohammedia, Morocco
Poultry production in Morocco Broilers: 450 Million / year (7600 farms) Layers: 14 Million / year (252 farms) Breeders: 4 Million (230 farms & 50 hatcheries) Turkeys : 13 Million (900 farms) Epidemiology (broiler & turkeys): vvibd, vvndv, IB, AMPV, Mycoplasma Up to the end of December 2015, no official presence of any subtype of AIV
2016, first H9 outbreaks What was ongoing on Moroccan poultry farms at the end of 2015? Increase of mortality rates in broiler farms in different areas of the country Huge drop in egg & chick production in layer and breeder farms ND & IB suspicions even in well vaccinated flocks! National Sanitary & Security food Office declare H9N2 outbreaks in January 2016
To vaccinate or not to vaccinate Huge discussions between all stakeholders First decision of authorities: Vaccination of breeder and layer flocks only Turkeys came after Final decision: vaccination of all production types Feb, 16th
In the field H9N2 is LPAI, But Broilers : The disease reached farms all over the country within weeks Severe respiratory signs Flocks show very quick increase of mortality rate (up to 50% and more) between 3rd and 6th day after onset of disease Layers and Breeders: High morbidity, mortality rates up to 20% Drastic drop in egg and chick production The affected flocks didn t recover after Congested or haemorragic tracheas with Fibrinous casts in bronchi
In Turkeys Severe respiratory signs Sinusitis with facial swelling Mortality rates: more than 20% Wide differences between flocks
H9N2, a really severe impact Chick production (average per week) 25 Live Broiler Prices (farm level) 1,4 Egg prices (farm level) 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 0 Janvier Février Mars Avril Mai 20 15 10 5 0 Janvier Février Mars Avril Mai Juin 1,2 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0 Janvier Février Mars Avril Mai Chick production : Decrease of 50% Live broiler price : Increase up to 60% Egg prices : Increase of 50%
Efficacy of GALLIMUNE 208 vaccine against Challenge with H9N2 Moroccan Strain in Turkeys
Objective of the study Assess in meat type turkeys, the efficacy of GALLIMUNE 208 ND+FLU H9 ME, a bivalent ND & H9N2 inactivated vaccine based on a Middle-East strain against the Moroccan AIV H9N2.
Efficacy criteria used Clinical signs (symptoms and mortality) Macroscopic lesions Virus persistence and shedding
Experimental Protocol 120 day-old turkeys Vaccinated (50) Unvaccinated (50) Vaccinated Challenged (20) VC Vaccinated Unchallenged (20) VUC Unvaccinated challenged (20) UVC Unvaccinated unchallenged (20) UVUC
Experimental Protocol 120 turkey poults, received at one day of age from parents that were vaccinated against H9N2 Autopsy (D5 post challenge) 10 poults per group D1 D8 D26 D31 D40 Vaccination with Gallimune 208 - Challenge : UVC et VC received 10 7 EID50 of Moroccan H9N2 by oculo-nasal route - Daily follow-up of clinical signs and mortality Autopsy (D15 post challenge) Autopsy of remaining animals from UVC&VC groups. Blood samples (D1, D8, D19, D25, D31 & D40) Tracheal & Cloacal swabs (D25, D29, D31, D33, D35, D37 & D40)
Results : Clinical signs (UVC) Scoring for respiratory signs: 0=no rales, 1=mild, 2=intermediate, 3=severe Age D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D7 D8 D9 D10 D14 Scoring respiratory signs 0 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 9 9 4 4 2 0 0 1 2 2 2 3 8 13 10 12 4 4 4 3 0 3 0 2 3 6 6 5 3 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0
Results : Clinical signs (VC) Scoring for respiratory signs: 0=no rales, 1=mild, 2=intermediate, 3=severe Age D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D7 D8 D9 D10 D14 Scoring respiratory signs 0 11 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 1 7 10 8 5 4 5 2 4 5 1 2 2 7 5 8 8 3 5 4 3 0 3 0 2 6 7 8 0 1 0 0 0 c Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 v 2 0 0 0 0
Results : Macroscopic lesions UVC Autopsy at D5 PC Autopsy at D15 PC Fibrinous sinusitis 5/10 5/5 Tracheitis 2/10 0/5 Fibrinous pneumonia 1/10 0/5 Fibrinous aerosacculitis 3/10 2/5 VC Autopsy at D5 PC Autopsy at D15 PC Fibrinous sinusitis 6/10 0/8 Tracheitis 2/10 0/8 Fibrinous aerosacculitis 6/10 0/8
Results : Clinical signs (VC vs UVC) 2,50 2,00 1,50 80% 70% 60% 50% NVC UVC VC 1,00 0,50 UVC NVC VC 40% 30% 20% 10% 0,00 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D7 D8 D9 D10 D15 0% D3 D4 D5 D7 D8 D9 Weighted average of respiratory rales scores in UVC & VC groups % of birds with sinusitis
Conclusion : Symptoms & lesions Vaccination reduced the duration, severity of clinical signs and mortality rate. Vaccination limited the severity, duration of respiratory tract lesions and signs of sinusitis. (Mycoplasma MG, MS and MM negative by PCR at D19)
Results : Virus shedding Virus detection by PCR in Cloacal swabs Virus detection by PCR in tracheal swabs 100% 100% 90% 90% 80% 80% 70% 70% 60% 50% 40% NVC VC 60% 50% 40% NVC VC 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% D3 D5 D7 D9 D11 0% D3 D5 D7 D9 D11 Vaccination delayed the installation of infection in the respiratory system in 50% of the individuals tested by PCR on day 3. Vaccination reduced the intensity and duration of viral detection in the respiratory tract and cloacal swabs.
Conclusion Gallimune 208 ND+FLU H9 ME had a positive impact on the protection of turkeys by reducing the duration, the intensity of clinical symptoms, the mortality rate and the virus persistence and shedding. In the field, vaccination has to be supported by a high level of biosecurity, good rearing conditions and proper management of concomitant viral and bacterial diseases.
H9N2 current situation in Morocco All breeder, layer & turkey flocks are vaccinated Vaccination ratio of broiler flocks : 75-80% Gallimune Unvaccinated Other vaccines 20% H9 Vaccination in 2016 15% 65%
H9N2 situation in Morocco Few clinical cases are remaining but macroscopic indicators came back to normal levels: 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 10000 9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Live Broiler Prices (farm level) Chick production (average per week)
Aknowledgement Pr. Mohammed EL HOUADFI Pr. Siham FELLAHI Pr. Saadia Nassik Dr. Stéphane LEMIERE Dr. Antoine LEPLAT Dr. Andrea DELVECCHIO
ThanK you very much