Intradermal application of Aujeszky's disease virus strain Begonia with tocopherol-based adjuvant and a novel design injection device.

ABSTRACT

Initially the use of intradermal application of Aujeszky's disease vaccines was shown to be very effective. However, for thus far unknown reasons the gI-deleted vaccines were much less efficacious by using this route of vaccination as compared to gI-positive vaccines. By the use of a tocopherol-based adjuvant and an improved design of the intradermal injection device it now appeared feasible to obtain the same efficacy both in specific pathogen free pigs and in pigs with material antibodies as found before when intramuscular administration was performed. With respect to safety we found a complete lack of skin lesions, no adverse systemic reactions (e.g. body temperatures) and no effect on growth rates. Last but not least, the easiness of intradermal injections is of great advantage in large-scale vaccination programs.