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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Poultry Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #205167
Title: The effects of increasing sodium chloride concentration on Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine survival in solution.

Author
item Leigh, Spencer
item Evans, Jeffrey - Jeff
item Branton, Scott
item Collier, Stephanie

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/23/2007
Publication Date: 3/15/2008
Citation: Leigh, S.A., Evans, J.D., Branton, S.L., Collier, S.D. 2008. The effects of increasing sodium chloride concentration on Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccine survival in solution.. Avian Diseases. 52:136-138.

Interpretive Summary: Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) causes chronic respiratory disease of chickens and infectious sinusitis of turkeys. MG infections result in major economic loses for poultry producers, estimated at greater than 150 million dollars annually. Three live MG vaccines are currently available; however, the way that these vaccines are applied to poultry varies among users, resulting in wide variations in efficacy and protection. The use of phosphate-buffered saline was explored to determine if it could stabilize live MG vaccines and provide a standardized method for vaccine dilution. The results show that use of phosphate-buffered saline at physiologic concentrations results in a 2 to 4 fold increase in vaccine survival. Use of phosphate buffered saline for vaccine dilution should increase vaccine efficacy and decreased costs for poultry producers.

Technical Abstract: Lyophilized Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) vaccines are generally rehydrated and diluted with distilled or chlorine-free water as per manufacturer recommendations. However, as mycoplasma species lack a cell wall, this can lead to decreased viability of live vaccine during administration. The ability of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) to prevent losses in live vaccine viability was examined. It was shown that a concentration of 1X PBS prevented the 2 to 4-fold decrease in MG viability seen when the vaccines were diluted using water alone.