South Africa begins mass poultry vaccination against HPAI
The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has announced the initiation of South Africa’s first mass vaccination campaign against avian influenza in poultry, aimed at safeguarding the national flock from the ongoing threat of the disease.
A designated vaccination team, comprising poultry veterinary specialists from the University of Pretoria in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council, has received a prioritized list of poultry farms from industry stakeholders. The team is currently focusing on high-risk zones and commercial operations to contain viral transmission and reduce the need for further depopulation measures.
As of early 2025, three vaccines targeting highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 have been officially registered for use in South African poultry under Act 36 and approved by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD):
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Vectormune® H5 (Ceva Santé Animale): A recombinant vector vaccine utilizing turkey herpesvirus (HVT) as a vector to express the H5 antigen. It is administered to day-old chicks, either in ovo or at hatch. Vectormune® H5 was among the first H5 vaccines registered in South Africa (2023).
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Boehringer Ingelheim “B.E.S.T” H5 Vaccine: An inactivated, oil-adjuvanted H5 avian influenza vaccine co-formulated with Newcastle Disease virus (LaSota strain), produced using Baculovirus Expressed System Technology. It is administered by injection and intended for use as a booster in older birds. This vaccine was fast-tracked for registration and approved during the 2023–2024 period.
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Zoetis HPAI H5N1 Vaccine (Inactivated): An inactivated vaccine based on reverse genetics, developed to match contemporary H5Nx Goose/Guangdong lineage (clade 2.3.4.4) strains implicated in recent South African outbreaks. It is registered and approved for poultry use.
These vaccine registrations represent a significant milestone in South Africa's strategic approach to mitigating the impact of HPAI outbreaks and advancing long-term biosecurity in the poultry sector.
