In ovo vaccination against coccidiosis
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a method of vaccinating a domesticated bird against coccidiosis comprising administering in ovo an effective immnunizing dose of live Eimeria sporozoites or merozoites, or a mixture thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the domesticated bird that is vaccinated is a chicken or turkey.
1. A method of vaccinating a chicken against coccidiosis comprising administering in ovo, during the final quarter of incubation, an effective immunizing dose of live Eimeria sporozoites, wherein the dose is administered by in ovo injection.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose further comprises live Eimeria merozoites.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose is administered to the amnion.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the dose is administered axially through the large end of the egg into the amnion.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose is administered from day 15 to day 20 of incubation.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the dose is administered on day 18 of incubation.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose comprises 10 to 10 6 sporozoites.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose comprises 10 3 to 10 5 sporozoites.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose comprises 10 2 to 10 5 sporozoites.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the dose comprises sporozoites of two or more species of Eimeria selected from the group consisting of E. tenella, E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. mitis, E. praecox, and E. brunetti.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising administering in ovo an immune stimulant at any time during incubation.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the immune stimulant is administered in ovo simultaneously with the dose of sporozoites.
13. The method or claim 1 wherein the sporozoites have been purified to remove sporocysts and oocysts.
14. A method of vaccinating a chicken against coccidiosis comprising administering in ovo, during the final quarter of incubation, an effective immunizing dose of live Eimeria merozoites, wherein the dose is administered by in ovo injection.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose is administered to the amnion.
16. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose is administered axially through the large end of the egg into the amnion.
17. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose is administered from day 15 to day 20 of incubation.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the dose is administered on day 18 of incubation.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose comprises 10 to 10 6 merozoites.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose comprises 10 3 to 10 6 merozoites.
21. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose comprises 10 2 to 10 5 merozoites.
22. The method of claim 14 wherein the dose comprises merozoites of two or more species of Eimeria selected from the group consisting of E. tenella, E. acervulina, E. maxima, E. necatrix, E. mitis, E. praecox, and E. brunetti.
23. The method of claim 14 further comprising administering in ovo an immune stimulant at any time during incubation.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the immune stimulant is administered in ovo simultaneously with the dose of merozoites.