Study evaluates HPAI vaccine efficacy in cattle
A recent study published in Scientific Reports evaluated the immune response to an H5 avian influenza vaccine in calves and lactating cows. The research investigated the efficacy of an inactivated H5 avian influenza vaccine, focusing on the humoral immune response and the transfer of antibodies through milk. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus strain A/ibis/Egypt/RLQP-229 S/2022, belonging to clade 2.3.4.4b, was utilized as the antigen for assessing the vaccine's efficacy in the Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) test. The vaccine was formulated as an oil-adjuvanted, inactivated preparation containing two different strains: the H5N6 strain Re13 (A/duck/Fujian/S1424/2020) from clade 2.3.4.4h and the H5N8 strain Re14 (A/whooper swan/Shanxi/4-1/2020) from clade 2.3.4.4b.
The study assessed the immune response in 22 native Egyptian calves and lactating cows, administering varying doses of the vaccine. The Hemagglutination Inhibition (HI) test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed a clear dose-dependent response, with higher vaccine doses inducing elevated and sustained antibody levels. Notably, the transfer of antibodies through milk was confirmed, with significant antibody presence detected as early as two weeks post-vaccination.
