Laboratory-scale production and quality control of trivalent inactivated oil-emulsion vaccine against Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis and egg drop syndrome

Although Newcastle disease (ND) and infectious bronchitis (IB) vaccines are currently being produced in Iran in the forms of live and inactivated, egg drop syndrome (EDS) vaccine has not been produced in Iran so far. In this study, the laboratory-scale production of ND + IB + EDS multivalent vaccine was performed to reduce dependency on imports and localize production of this vaccine. Three vaccine seeds of V4 (ND virus), M41 (IB virus) and AV-127 (EDS virus) strains were evaluated for freedom from bacteria, fungi, mycoplasma, and unwanted viruses using microbiological methods and PCR. Two different inactivated vaccines, contained mineral oil adjuvant, were produced, and formulated as water-in-oil emulsions. Tests for sterility, stability and safety of these emulsions were performed for quality control. In addition, the immunogenicity of two vaccines were evaluated and compared with a similar imported trivalent ND + IB + EDS vaccine through vaccination of 20 four-week-old specific pathogen free chickens. Then serum antibodies specific to three viruses were detected using hemagglutination inhibition and ELISA tests. Both experimental vaccines showed desirable and similar immunogenicity compared to the imported trivalent vaccine. This study showed that the laboratory-scale production of trivalent vaccines (ND + IB + EDS) has potential to produce industrially. Thus, these vaccines can strengthen vaccine manufacturing capabilities and reduce dependence on imports of similar vaccines