Preparation of a Combined Inactivated Vaccine against Riemerella anatipestifer and Duck Viral Hepatitis

Riemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer) infection and duck virus hepatitis (DVH) are enormous dangers for the duck industry and its investment. So, in the current study, a combined inactivated vaccine against both of them was prepared to combat their adverse effect. One hundred and thirty-three ducks of one-day-old of age were used and grouped randomly into four groups. Group (1) was vaccinated with R. anatipestifer vaccine, group (2) was vaccinated with DHV vaccine, group (3) was vaccinated with the prepared combined vaccine of both and finally, group (4) was kept as a negative control. Vaccination was at one day old of age. The vaccinated groups with Riemerella vaccine had 72.7% protection against challenges with the virulent strain with the highest antibody titers in 6th week as measured by the indirect Hemagglutination test. The control group had 90.9% mortality when challenged against R. anatipestifer, with no detectable antibody titers. DVH-vaccinated groups exhibited their highest serum-neutralizing antibody titers by the 5th and 6th weeks post-vaccination. The Control group had no detectable antibody titers against DVH. Statistically, it was clear that there were no significant differences between the results of different groups vaccinated with combined or single vaccines of the same agent. Briefly, combined vaccines of R. Anatipestifer and duck viral hepatitis have harmonized effects with the priority to decrease the stress on birds and workers. Besides its efficiency, the economic side as providing one-shot vaccines instead of each one separately.