Question:
What is meant by a booster dose that should be given to an animal? I understand that you should vaccinate cattle, for example, against conditions such as lumpy skin disease, brucellosis and blackleg, but why are booster doses mentioned? No one can tell me what a booster dose is. Do you inject, for example, 2.5 ml instead of 5 ml, or what? Our cooperative managers also do not know.
Answer:
For the preparation of inactivated vaccines, the target organisms are cultured in the laboratory then inactivated or “killed” so they cannot multiply or cause diseases. This type of vaccine is typically in liquid form.
Inactivated vaccines are less immunogenic than live, weakened vaccines and therefore require an additive (adjuvant) in the formulation to stimulate the immune system response. Vaccines containing adjuvants traditionally require a follow-up dose or booster dose for adequate protection.
When a foreign organism in the form of a vaccine is administered to the animal’s body, the animal’s immune system identifies the pathogen (e.g., virus, bacteria, protozoa). Cells in the animal’s body recognise that the organism (or vaccine) is foreign.
The large white blood cells engulf this organism, break it into pieces and push the pieces outside the cells. These pieces contain the code for the body to recognise the organism later. The immune system is then activated to make an imprint of the protruding code.
This process generates antibodies against the codes and activates memory cells. These memory cells have a long lifespan and will remember the code. If the foreign organism appears later in the animal’s body, the memory cells will be summoned to produce immunity immediately.
Protection does not develop well after the first vaccination with inactivated vaccines but does develop two weeks after the second vaccination (booster dose). It is usually recommended to administer the booster dose 3-4 weeks after the first dose. Without the booster dose that reminds the immune system to build memory, your animals will not be fully protected.
If the product label recommends that a second or repeated booster dose is required, it should be administered to provide full protection.
A booster dose is a repetition of the dose, meaning the same amount as the initial dose. So if the first dose was 1 ml, the booster dose at the recommended time (a few weeks later) will be the same volume.
If it is recommended that a vaccine be administered annually. Such an annual dose is considered a booster dose.
Read the vaccine label thoroughly, and if you have any questions, contact your veterinarian or the manufacturer of the product for more information.
* Information provided by Dr Angela Buys, Design Biologix, angela@designbio.co.za
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