Update on Veterinary Viral Vaccines: A Review

Vaccine has made a very significant impact on the control of viral diseases in both humans and animal species. Worldwide eradication of small pox and rinderpest and drastic reduction in other infection disease are confirming to the fact that vaccination is the most feasible and cost effective strategy for prevention, control and eradication of infectious disease. Veterinary science has made a significant contribution to the field of vaccine research and development. Among the numerous of infectious diseases in animals, those of viral etiology account for a high burden of cases and they are the most relevant from a veterinary perspective. So, vaccination is the most feasible means that has to be implemented for controlling and eradicating these diseases. The viral vaccines used in veterinary medicine generally categorized into 1 of 3 categories: inactivated vaccines (in which antigens are typically combined with adjuvants); live attenuated vaccines; and recombinant technology vaccines, which may include subunit antigens or genetically engineered organisms. The majority of vaccines available today rely either on attenuation (weakening) techniques or inactivated (killed) forms of the infectious agent. Even though many vaccines are available and vaccine producing technologies are existed, several viral diseases have no vaccines yet and there are also limitations even on existing vaccines. Therefore, the objective of this seminar paper is to overview the development of veterinary viral vaccines and challenges and opportunities existing in the process of its development. To be profitable from the veterinary viral vaccines the challenging factors for the development of the vaccines should be managed. In addition, the novel vaccine technologies should be encouraged because they can fill the limitations of conventional live and killed vaccines.