Vaccines

Abstract

Vaccines active against coccidiosis in domestic fowls contain attenuated precocious strains of Eimeria species.

1 . An attenuated anticoccidial vaccine containing live attenuated precocious lines of  Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima and Eimeria tenella , the number of sporulated oocysts of each separate  Eimeria  line present per 100 sporulated oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina  being for  Eimeria maxima  15-30 and for  Eimeria tenella  70-110.  
   
   
       2 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 1  containing, per 100 sporulated oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina,  15-30 sporulated oocysts of a live attenuated precocious line of  Eimeria brunetti,  180-220 sporulated oocysts of a live attenuated precocious line of  Eimeria mitis , and 70-110 sporulated oocysts of a live attenuated precocious line of  Eimeria necatrix.    
   
   
       3 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 2  containing 15-25 sporulated oocysts of a live attenuated precocious line of  Eimeria praecox  per 100 sporulated oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina.    
   
   
       4 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the number of sporulated oocysts of each separate  Eimeria  line present per 100 sporulated oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina  is for  Eimeria maxima  18-22 and for  Eimeria tenella  75-105.  
   
   
       5 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 4  containing, per 100 sporulated oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina,  18-22 sporulated oocysts of a live precocious, attenuated line of  Eimeria brunetti,  190-210 sporulated oocysts of a live precocious attenuated line of  Eimeria mitis and  75-105 sporulated oocysts of a live precocious attenuated line of  Eimeria necatrix.    
   
   
       6 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 5  containing 18-22 sporulated oocysts of a live precocious attenuated line of  Eimeria praecox  per 100 sporulated oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina.    
   
   
       7 . A live vaccine for use in combatting coccidiosis in chickens comprising an effective concentration of live sporulated oocysts of a strain of  Eimeria acervulina  having a prepatent time in chickens between 60 and 84 hours, of a strain of  Eimeria  maxima having a prepatent time in chickens of between 80 and 120 hours and of a strain of  Eimeria tenella  having a prepatent time in chickens between 90 and 125 hours.  
   
   
       8 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 7  additionally comprising an effective concentration of live sporulated oocysts of a strain of  Eimeria necatrix  having a prepatent time in chickens between 90 and 126 hours, of a strain of  Eimeria mitis  having a prepatent time in chickens between 60 and 84 hours and of a strain of  Eimeria brunetti  having a prepatent time in chickens between 70 and 100 hours.  
   
   
       9 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 8  additionally comprising an effective concentration of live sporulated oocysts of a strain of  Eimeria  praecox having a prepatent time in chickens between 44 and 75 hours.  
   
   
       10 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 1  in dosage unit form in which each dosage unit contains 50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina,  10 to 5,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria maxima  and 50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria tenella.    
   
   
       11 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 2  in which each dosage unit contains 50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina,  10 to 5,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria maxima,  50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria teneila,  10 to 5,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria brunetti,  100 to 50,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria mitis  and 50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria necatrix.    
   
   
       12 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 3  in which each dosage unit contains 50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria acervulina,  10 to 5,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria maxima,  50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria tenella,  10 to 5,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria brunetti,  100 to 50,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria mitis,  50 to 25,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria necatrix , and 10 to 5,000 of said oocysts of  Eimeria praecox.    
   
   
       13 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 1  in which the said  Eimeria  strains are stable after 5 passages in chickens without selection.  
   
   
       14 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 1  in which the said strain of  Eimeria acervulina  is  E. acervulina  ECACC 86072203, the said strain of  Eimeria tenella  is  E. tenella  ECACC 86072201 and the said strain of  Eimeria maxima  is  E. maxima  ECACC 86112011 and/or ECACC 86112012.  
   
   
       15 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 2  in which the said strain of  Eimeria mitis  is  E. mitis  ECACC 86072206, the said strain of  Eimeria necatrix  is  E.necatrix  ECACC 86072202 and the said strain of  Eimeria brunetti  is  E. brunetti  ECACC 86112013.  
   
   
       16 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 2  in which the said strain of  Eimeria mitis  is  E. mitis  ECACC 86072206, the said strain of  Eimeria necatrix  is  E.necatrix  ECACC 86072202 and the said strain of  Eimeria brunetti  is  E. brunetti  ECACC 86072204.  
   
   
       17 . A vaccine as claimed in  claim 3  in which the said strain of  Eimeria praecox  is  E. praecox  ECACC 86072205.  
   
   
       18 . An attenuated precocious  Eimeria  strain selected from  
     
       
         
               
               
               
             
                   
                   
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                 
                   E. acervulina 
                 
                 ECACC 86072203 
               
                   
                 
                   E. brunetti 
                 
                 ECACC 86072204 
               
                   
                 
                   E. brunetti 
                 
                 ECACC 86112013 
               
                   
                 
                   E. maxima 
                 
                 ECACC 86112011 
               
                   
                 
                   E. maxima 
                 
                 ECACC 86112012 
               
                   
                 
                   E. mitis 
                 
                 ECACC 86072206 
               
                   
                 
                   E. necatrix 
                 
                 ECACC 86072202 
               
                   
                 
                   E. praecox 
                 
                 ECACC 86072205 
               
                   
                 
                   E. tenella 
                 
                 ECACC 86072201 
               
                   
                   
               
                   
                   
               
           
              
              
             
             
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
              
             
          
         
       
     
     and precocious attenuated immunogenic mutants and variants thereof.  
   
   
       19 . A process for the preparation of a vaccine as claimed in  claim 1  which comprises sporulating oocysts of the said  Eimeria  strains and admixing them with a carrier and/or adjuvant.  
   
   
       20 . A method of inhibiting coccidiosis in chickens which comprises administering to the chickens an effective amount of a vaccine as claimed in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  in which the vaccine is administered in the drinking water of the chickens.