Still a long road towards vaccination against bird flu

22 June 2023

By Carien Kruger

Large-scale vaccination of commercial laying hens against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) will probably not happen soon in South Africa.

On one hand, there are many critical preparations, discussions and negotiations to be finalised between the industry and government. On the other, commercial egg producers will probably not be interested in vaccination if it means they cannot sell spent hens into the live market.

Veterinarian Dr Shahn Bisschop, chief executive of Avimune and a member of the vaccination working group of the South African Poultry Association (SAPA), said at the recent AVI Africa poultry conference that governments and stakeholders in the European Union are working quickly to vaccinate certain flocks. 

In the US, progress is much slower because the industry is not convinced it will be in its interests, especially because it could hinder exports. 

HPAI is widespread worldwide and has cost the South African poultry industry, particularly egg producers, millions of rand since the first outbreak in 2017.

But vaccination programmes are expensive, as shown by models prepared in France. It is not just about the cost of vaccines, but also of labour and the need for monitoring after vaccination begins.

Monitoring is essential to ensure vaccinated birds do not become part of a country’s unvaccinated flock. It is also important to monitor the vaccinated flock for signs of bird flu.

Steps towards vaccination in SA

Representatives of SAPA and the department of agriculture, land reform and rural development have met once to discuss vaccination and SAPA is preparing documents on the next steps.

Bisschop said nothing can happen before the industry and the government agree how to evaluate possible vaccines for use in South Africa. 

Not all existing vaccines work well, he said, but “the most recent vaccines are highly effective in controlling symptoms and limiting the spreading of the disease”.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) decision not to vaccinate “puts South Africa in a somewhat difficult position because the bulk of our exports go to SADC countries”, said Bisschop. “We cannot rush into a vaccination plan without warning our SADC neighbours.”

When South Africa started to vaccinate, however, it would rely heavily on the agriculture department’s compartment system, and this would give South Africa room to negotiate solutions with its trade partners.

Selling of live birds

As things stand, no vaccinated birds will be allowed to leave farms, and they will have to be slaughtered. “The concern is that partially immunised birds will be a risk to populations around them and may become reservoirs for the disease,” said Bisschop.

Colin Steenhuisen, a board member of Sapa’s egg organisation, said if slaughtering is compulsory, commercial egg producers will not be interested in vaccinating layers because selling spent hens into the live market “is where the last bit of profit comes from”.

Bisschop said producers should remember that biosecurity would remain vital, even if vaccination became a reality.