Fish vaccines are evolving parallel to the growing fish farming industries globally. The high dose volume of 0.2 ml oil-based vaccines used in the 1990s could result in severe adverse reactions in the abdominal cavity of salmon. New vaccines were developed with half that dose, 0.1 ml in the early 2000s, with an improved welfare and safety profile. This also applied to multivalent vaccines for other species than salmonids.
Based on further RnD and refinement of all downstream processes, PHARMAQ developed the micro dose injection concept in 2008; a 0.05 ml dose volume. The reduced volume enabled vaccination of even smaller fish, facilitated more flexible co-injection of vaccines, while maintaining efficacy and further improving safety. The concept was proven successful across species; salmon, trout, Atlantic cod, cleaner fish, seabass and bream, tilapia and pangasius. Safe and accurate dosing and administration are still fully possible with modern and calibrated injection systems, automated or manual.
The experiences with the smaller dose volume vaccine concept and its advantages across species, including tilapia will be presented and discussed.