An inactivated West Nile virus vaccine for domestic geese-efficacy study and a summary of 4 years of field application

Following the isolation in 1997 of West Nile virus from the brains of geese with an acute neuroparalytic disease in Israel, which reappeared in the following years, an inactivated vaccine was prepared from suckling mouse brains. The brain homogenate was inactivated with formaldehyde and blended with mineral oil adjuvant. In 2000, the first flocks were vaccinated according to a schedule of two subcutaneous doses, commencing at the age of 2 weeks and given with a 2-weeks interval. In efficacy trials, the challenge virus was injected at 7 weeks by the intracranial route, and over 85% protection was recorded in vaccinated geese. In extensive field trials conducted in 2001–2003, the vaccine was demonstrated to be safe and efficacious, and over 3 million doses were manufactured in 2000–2003.