The newly developed vector-based Avian Influenza (AI) vaccines for ducks generated during the NOVADUCK project could be available for vaccination of ducks in countries in which the biosecurity measures are not sufficient to control AI H5 infection. The selected vaccine candidates should show clear benefits over existing vaccines, such as DIVA-compatibility, low cost, early onset of immunity, adjuvant-free, and/or ease of administration (e.g. mass vaccination, duckling administration at the hatchery). These new types of vaccines would be suitable for emergency vaccination, thereby limiting the mass slaughtering of poultry around an infected area, or for preventive vaccination in high risk or enzootic area. Some of the newly developed vaccine candidates may also be safe and efficacious in other species, including other poultry (e.g. chickens, turkeys and geese), but also mammals (e.g. cats, dogs, pigs, horses), making them ideal multi-species AI vaccine candidates. Additionally, if efficacy can be obtained after administration by the oral route, the potential exists to use such vaccines to vaccinate wild ducks and thus potentially contribute to the reduction of AI from the ecosystem.
The duck-specific immunological tools that will be developed during the NOVADUCK project would also be essential to evaluate the immunogenicity of any existing, as well as future, duck vaccines. In particular, the DIVA test could be used to monitor infection in vaccinated flocks.
The development of a reproducible AI challenge model in ducks will be useful to define the standard for evaluation of efficacy of duck AI vaccines. The protection data generated during the project would also help to define the minimal level of protection that should be expected for an acceptable AI duck vaccine.
Overall, the project should provide new tools to control AI infection in a species playing a significant role in AI epidemiology.
