Poulvac IBQX QX bronchitis vaccine

The Zoetis Poulvac IBQX is made to fight specifically against the QX strain of infectious bronchitis. It is available in the U.K. and Ireland. This variant IB strain has been an increasing problem in European countries over the last 10 years and was first seen in the UK in South-East England in 2007. Since then QX has been isolated from a number of commercial layer and broiler flocks, leading to inferior performance and increased mortality. The Poulvac IBQX vaccine is based on a live attenuated virus and is administered as a coarse spray to broilers from day-old and to layer pullets or broiler breeders from seven days of age. Protection has been demonstrated by challenge study to last for 63 days after vaccination. The vaccine is often used on the farm, but can be administered to chicks at the hatchery if adequate controls are in place to avoid spread to other chicks that will be moved to non-QX exposed flocks. Poulvac IB QX is a vaccine homologous to any IB QX field strain, thus providing better protection. Zoetis' in-house PCR and DNA sequencing service allows careful monitoring of the field to ascertain which IB strains are currently causing field outbreaks and enables recommended adaptations to be made to particular vaccination programs.