Manipulating the immune response; applications in livestock breeding

• Published in: Journal of reproductive immunology 2002-10, Vol.57 (1), p.239-253
• Main Authors: Lofthouse, Shari, Kemp, Joanna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Husbandry - methods; Animals; Animals, Domestic - immunology; Antigens - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Breeding - methods; Contraception, Immunologic - methods; Contraception, Immunologic - veterinary; Controlled release; Drug Delivery Systems - veterinary; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health. Pharmaceutical industry; Immune modulation; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Male; Parasitic Diseases, Animal - prevention & control; Pregnancy; Production of active biomolecules; Sheep - immunology; Vaccination; Vaccination - methods; Vaccination - veterinary; Vaccine deliver; Vaccines - administration & dosage; Vaccins
• ISSN: 0165-0378; 1872-7603
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-0378(02)00006-2

There are many opportunities for the use of immune modulation techniques in livestock that offer the potential to reduce the requirements for chemical usage and surgical intervention in standard management practices. While vaccination has been used for many years for disease control, there are areas in which vaccination has not been very successful, including the induction of mucosal responses, the induction of cellular responses, and the ability to induce extended duration of protection after a single administration of antigen. In addition, new areas of immunological intervention such as immunisation against reproductive hormones offer new opportunities to modify not only reproductive performance, but also growth, metabolism, carcass quality and behaviour in livestock. These new techniques bring increased need for enhanced efficacy and duration of response. While extensive studies in vaccination have shown that many of the desired immunological responses can be induced in experimental conditions, effective application in the field is dependent upon the development of vaccine delivery methods that are practical within the confines of an effective livestock management system. This paper outlines restrictions that may be imposed on vaccine delivery to livestock and introduces controlled antigen delivery as a potential method for single dose vaccination.