The physiological and immunological effects of vaccination on fish health, welfare, and performance ...

• Main Author: Skinner, Lisa Ann
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2009
• Subjects: Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0067098; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0067098

To prevent the outbreak of pathogenic diseases, the salmonid aquaculture industry relies on the use of vaccines. While traditional, polyvalent, oil-adjuvanted vaccines (AV) are effective, they do not work against all types of pathogens and the vaccination process and vaccine composition can be stressful for individual fish. Continuing advances in technology have led to the development of a new type of pathogen-specific vaccine; a DNA vaccine (DV). While there are many benefits to DVs, including a physiologically less stressful vaccine formulation, a more rapid immune response, and prolonged protection compared to traditional vaccines, the impacts of DVs on the general physiology of fishes, especially when coupled with an AV, are not well understood. To assess these impacts, growth performance, routine metabolic rate (RMR), and immunological responsiveness were examined in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar, L.) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) following the injection of a DV. When injected alone, ...