Merial offers a Georgia 2008 (GA-08) Type infectious Bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccine for poultry. The USDA recently issued a license as the vaccine fills an emerging need for a variant of IBV. GA-08 is a variant type of IBV, which primarily affects the lower respiratory tract, particularly the air sacs. It produces fewer symptoms in live birds but resultant airsaculitis can create issues in processing. GA-08 vaccination is recommended in one-day-old healthy chicks by coarse spray administration to aid in the reduction of the disease. The disease is most challenging during the winter months, when conditions are most conducive to respiratory infections.
