Vaccines

[inyati13]

The discussion on tetanus reminded me that vaccines are complex chemical compounds. What might not be apparent is that the "target" of vaccines is not always the microorganism but the toxin it produces as a result of its metabolism while infecting the host. For example, the target of C. tetani antitoxin is not the organism but the toxins it produces. The organism is not the direct cause of symptoms, it is the toxins. The tetanus toxins are what locks up the infected animals muscles like KT's calf.

Here is a key concept: Vaccinations are not administered to kill an organism; their purpose is to provide immunization. Antibiotics are chemicals that are administered to kill the organism like an insecticide kills a fly. That is an important concept to appreciate!!!

A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins or one of its surface proteins. [1] When the organism is used in the vaccine it can be attenuated, killed, modified live, weakened, etc.

Toxoid vaccines are made from chemically modified toxic compounds from a pathogenic microorganism which in the modified state is no longer toxic but is antigenic and thus serves as a vaccine. [2] Examples of toxoid-based vaccines include tetanus and diphtheria. The key is that you are not immune to the organism, you are immunizing against the toxin.

Lucky or anyone want to join in, please do. I frequently see posts by Lucky; Ken; milkmaid and many others that provide me with an new insight. I provided the above info with that intention. Hope it benefits someone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine#Toxoid



[1] Wikipedia
[2] Wikipedia

 

[wbvs58]

Just to throw a bit towards your statement Ron, I guess when we vaccinate there are a couple of different groups of organisms that we try to protect against broadly speaking like protecting against organisms that are ubiquitious (if that is the right word) in the environment and get into the body when the opportunity arises like tetanus or when the conditions are ideal for it to get on top like enterotoxaemia and then there are the organisms that are not out there normally but can be introduced when a new animal is introduced to a susceptible population such as in pestivirus.
With this second group unless you can be sure your quarantine is 100% spot on with a large perimeter around the farm and wind barriers then vaccination is more important when consider yourself free of a particular problem as there will be a big crash in your naieve herd if something gets through.
Ken

 

[Lucky_P]

Another factor to consider, Ron... even our BEST vaccines are not 100% effective. Even those with the highest efficacy may only protect 95% of properly vaccinated animals - but... in a herd, we're looking at protection of the entire population...and, if we can get 65% or more of the individuals within that population protected, if a pathogen comes on the scene, the likelihood that it will have the opportunity to gain a foothold and cause significant damage is remarkably minimized.

 

[inyati13]

Ken/Lucky. Thanks for the contributions.

The clostridial I use is UltraChoice 8. It does not protect against tetani, but I use a specific serum for that. It provides protection from the following:

C. chauvoei blackleg
C. septicum malignant edema
C. haemolyticum bacillary hemoglobinuria
C. novyi black disease
C. sordellii gas gangrene
C. perfringens enterotoxemia and enteritis type B, C, D

Lucky: are there any listed that would not be extant in my area?

 

[Koffi Babone]

Just a bit more background info...

The first time the body is exposed to the germ or vaccine, it takes the body about 14 days to make antibodies (these are the proteins that will protect the patient against the disease that is targeted in the vaccine). In general (this based on statistical analyses) 65% of the vaccinated population will be protected with the first shot.

When you give a booster (expose the patient a 2nd time to the antigens: proteins that are present in the vaccine or on the germ), the body will tend to make antibodies faster. In general, it is about 7 days. Typically, boosters are given at least 2 weeks after the 1st shot (because you want to make sure the patient's body had time to make the antibodies). Booster tends to bring protection to 95% of the population. In some cases (the only one that comes to mind is rabies protection in humans), a 3rd booster is given to bring the protection level to 99% of the population.

Vaccinating does not necessarily mean the patient won't get the disease (that is exposed to the germ and be sick), it does however buy time. The patient's body will respond faster when exposed to the germ and tend to be less sick. And remember, a vaccine is always cheaper than a vet visit...

 

[Lucky_P]

Ron,
We detect chauvoei, novyi, septicum on a regular basis. Sordelli is probably out there, we just don't have an FA for it.
C.chauvoei most common, but novyi, septicum frequently detected - but, they are part of the putrefactive/decomposer groups, so I have to temper importance of their presence by how far autolysis has advanced...
Not sure that I've ever recognized a case of bacillary hemoglobinuria - but have never worked/practiced in an area where liver flukes are present.

C.perfringens is part of the normal gut flora; most of what we isolate is Type A - but 99.999% of C.perfringens isolates can make type A toxin, so I rarely attach any clinical significance to finding Type A, unless it's a dairy cow with Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome or a young calf with necrohemorrhagic abomasitis.
Rarely, if ever, see Clostridial enterotoxemia in pastured cattle - but, since most steer calves will eventually end up in a feedlot somewhere, consuming a grain-based ration...vaccinating with the C.p. BC&D toxoid is recommended.

I've just switched to a product containing Tetanus Toxoid because of the loss of the one heifer last year, and the fact that some of the AI sires we've been using are hetero polled, so I'm getting the occasional horned calf that will require dehorning.

Word of caution/advice: If the label recommendations call for a booster dose at a specific time period after initial dose... GIVE IT! They don't put that on there just to sell more vaccine - it's required in order to get the anamnestic response required to provide protection. For many of the biologics, if you just give that initial dose without the booster...you're not protecting the animal, and you've all but 'wasted' the $$ and time you invested in putting the initial dose in them. Without the recommended 'booster' dose in the recommended timeframe, if you 'booster' a year later...for all intents and purposes, it's as if you'd never given a previous dose. You really need to follow the label directions.

 

[inyati13]

Ron,
We detect chauvoei, novyi, septicum on a regular basis. Sordelli is probably out there, we just don't have an FA for it.
C.chauvoei most common, but novyi, septicum frequently detected - but, they are part of the putrefactive/decomposer groups, so I have to temper importance of their presence by how far autolysis has advanced...
Not sure that I've ever recognized a case of bacillary hemoglobinuria - but have never worked/practiced in an area where liver flukes are present.

C.perfringens is part of the normal gut flora; most of what we isolate is Type A - but 99.999% of C.perfringens isolates can make type A toxin, so I rarely attach any clinical significance to finding Type A, unless it's a dairy cow with Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome or a young calf with necrohemorrhagic abomasitis.
Rarely, if ever, see Clostridial enterotoxemia in pastured cattle - but, since most steer calves will eventually end up in a feedlot somewhere, consuming a grain-based ration...vaccinating with the C.p. BC&D toxoid is recommended.

I've just switched to a product containing Tetanus Toxoid because of the loss of the one heifer last year, and the fact that some of the AI sires we've been using are hetero polled, so I'm getting the occasional horned calf that will require dehorning.

Word of caution/advice: If the label recommendations call for a booster dose at a specific time period after initial dose... GIVE IT! They don't put that on there just to sell more vaccine - it's required in order to get the anamnestic response required to provide protection. For many of the biologics, if you just give that initial dose without the booster...you're not protecting the animal, and you've all but 'wasted' the $$ and time you invested in putting the initial dose in them. Without the recommended 'booster' dose in the recommended timeframe, if you 'booster' a year later...for all intents and purposes, it's as if you'd never given a previous dose. You really need to follow the label directions.

Thank you very much!!! Lucky, what is the product name of your clostridial that contains TT. I get tet toxoid and tet antitoxin from a company called Colorado Serum. BTW: I also give my entire herd TT shots and an annual booster. Since UltraChoice 8 does not include the bacterin toxoid of C. tetani. I figure a cow could have a puncture wound that may go unseen and come down with tetanus. With the value of cattle, I sure don't want to lose any and plus they have a personal value to me. Like losing your dog!!!

 

[inyati13]

Just a bit more background info...

The first time the body is exposed to the germ or vaccine, it takes the body about 14 days to make antibodies (these are the proteins that will protect the patient against the disease that is targeted in the vaccine). In general (this based on statistical analyses) 65% of the vaccinated population will be protected with the first shot.

When you give a booster (expose the patient a 2nd time to the antigens: proteins that are present in the vaccine or on the germ), the body will tend to make antibodies faster. In general, it is about 7 days. Typically, boosters are given at least 2 weeks after the 1st shot (because you want to make sure the patient's body had time to make the antibodies). Booster tends to bring protection to 95% of the population. In some cases (the only one that comes to mind is rabies protection in humans), a 3rd booster is given to bring the protection level to 99% of the population.

Vaccinating does not necessarily mean the patient won't get the disease (that is exposed to the germ and be sick), it does however buy time. The patient's body will respond faster when exposed to the germ and tend to be less sick. And remember, a vaccine is always cheaper than a vet visit...

Thanks. Where are you? Your user name makes me think of someplace like India or Africa.

 

[Koffi Babone]

@ inyati13:

I am from Canada. As for the username, you are correct. It is of West African origin, I worked two years in Ghana.

 

[bmoore87]

"When you give a booster (expose the patient a 2nd time to the antigens: proteins that are present in the vaccine or on the germ), the body will tend to make antibodies faster.

Koffi & lucky is their a difference in the amount of protection you usually see in different diseases between when you give the primary and booster level covered say by pinkeye vaccine compared to a 5 way or pneumonia?


Also do the single shot vaccines really work as well? I have looked at the bovishield gold 5 one shot and regular bovishield gold 5 and think they are about the same thing (minus the haemolytica)based on claimed DOI for both. Some people swear by them and other people I have talked to swear at them after they've had problems.

 

[Koffi Babone]

@ bmoore87:

I am not sure I understand your 1st question:
"is their a difference in the amount of protection you usually see in different diseases between when you give the primary and booster level covered say by pinkeye vaccine compared to a 5 way or pneumonia?"

Are you asking by how much the protection level increases after giving the booster for different types of vaccine?
If that is the case, I don't really know the answer (I have never tried just giving the 1st shot when the label calls for a booster). Like Lucky wrote in his post, the label must be followed because each vaccine is different. The info I posted is "the explanation behind why we do things".

Concerning one shot vaccines, most tend to be modified live if I am not mistaken. This means the product you inject is a live germ (but is not supposed to cause disease). Because the virus is alive, they tend to stick around longer and the animal mounts a better response.
Do they work better? I have not heard of any complaints. Again, the label must be followed, some modified live are not for pregnant animals that have not been previously vaccinated.

 

[inyati13]

"When you give a booster (expose the patient a 2nd time to the antigens: proteins that are present in the vaccine or on the germ), the body will tend to make antibodies faster.

Koffi & lucky is their a difference in the amount of protection you usually see in different diseases between when you give the primary and booster level covered say by pinkeye vaccine compared to a 5 way or pneumonia?


Also do the single shot vaccines really work as well? I have looked at the bovishield gold 5 one shot and regular bovishield gold 5 and think they are about the same thing (minus the haemolytica)based on claimed DOI for both. Some people swear by them and other people I have talked to swear at them after they've had problems.

They are the same except for the Mannheimia haemolytica. I think the promotion of "one shot" is based on the concept that you are obtaining immunization against another respiratory microbe in one shot. Have you noticed this: If you read the label on the various Bovi-Shield Gold FP vaccines, you will notice that in mature cattle you only need to vaccinate once to get immunity for the FP 5 microbes but if the vaccine includes the vibio or lepto organisms, the label recommends a second vaccination of VL5 3 to 4 weeks later. Because of that, I have gone to using the Bovi-Sheild Gold FP 5 and Spirovac VL5. Thus, you only use the MLV preparation once, then do two Spirovac vaccinations. That is an advantage because it is easier to reuse a vial of Spirovac than it is the Bovi-Shield FP5 which must be used within one hour of mixing the MLV preparation.

Label From Bovi-Shield Gold One Shot:
MLV) IBR, BVD Types 1 & 2, PI3, BRSV and Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica Bacterin – Toxoid

For vaccination of healthy cattle to prevent respiratory disease caused by bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), bovine viral diarrhea Type 1 and Type 2 (BVD), and as an aid in preventing respiratory disease caused by parainfluenza (PI3), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), and bovine pneumonia caused by M. haemolytica Type A1.

Rehydrate the freeze-dried component with the sterile diluent provided. Shake well and administer 2 mL SQ.

Calves vaccinated before the age of 6 months should be revaccinated after 6 months or at weaning. Annual revaccination is recommended.

Safe in pregnant cows only if their dams were vaccinated with any Bovi-Shield Gold® FP® prior to breeding.

May be administered to calves nursing pregnant cows provided their dams were vaccinated within the past 12 months as described above.

Label from Bovi-Shield Gold FP 5 VL5:
General Directions: Vaccination of healthy cattle is recommended. Aseptically rehydrate the freeze-dried vaccine (Bovi-Shield GOLD FP 5) with the liquid bacterin provided (Vibrio/Leptoferm-5®), shake well, and administer 2 mL intramuscularly. In accordance with Beef Quality Assurance guidelines, this product should be administered in the muscular region of the neck.

Primary Vaccination: Administer a single 2-mL dose to all breeding cows and heifers approximately 1 month prior to breeding or being added to the herd, followed by a single dose of Vibrio/Leptoferm-5 3-4 weeks later.

Revaccination: Annual revaccination with a single dose of Bovi-Shield GOLD FP 5 VL5 is recommended.

 

[bmoore87]

Are you asking by how much the protection level increases after giving the booster for different types of vaccine?
If that is the case, I don't really know the answer (I have never tried just giving the 1st shot when the label calls for a booster).

Not really a specific vaccine more looking for generaly on mlv 5way or a pinkeye vaccine. Bovi Shield label says only a primary injection need with no booster which ive seen on some other 5 way mlvs. We have always been told by the vets that you should still give a booster even on the mlv. Same thing on a pinkeye vaccine (assume killed since it was premixed) I was looking at labeled for with single shot but was told it is best to give a booster.

Guess what I was wondering is if I am going overkill on giving the second dose on an mlv labeled for single and maybe only gaining a small percentage in protection.

Thanks Inyatii guess I had more assumed the "single shot" vaccines were meant for a single dose since I had helped some people vaccinate and they used no booster with them while most people around me seem like they do booster the 5 way base mlv in the "one shot" formulas.

 

[inyati13]

bmoore87: Zoetis "One Shot" promotions can be confusing. Be careful, it does not mean a single dose will do ye! :D

In Example:

One Shot Ultra 8 versus UltraChoice 8.

Both contain the same 8 clostridials. But "one shot" contains Mannheimia haemolytica Bacterin-Toxoid.

NOTE: The "one shot" does not mean as one might assume that you only have to administer "one shot" to achieve the appropriate level of immunity. If it is a primary innoculation, you have to follow this direction from their label:

Inject 2 mL SQ. Healthy cattle should receive a 2 mL dose 4-6 weeks later. (from Zoetis One Shot Ultra 8 label directions)

PS: bmoore87, I edited the response above to provide the directions form Bovi-Shield Gold FP 5 when it includes the VL5 components. To get protection on the VL5 component, a second vaccination is required. Apparently, one adminstration of the FP 5 MLV is all that is required.