The Zoetis Poulvac Bron GA 08 is a vaccine developed to control the Georgia 08 strain of infectious bronchitis virus, a disease affecting poultry. The vaccine has been fully licensed by the USDA and has shown clear results in combating the virus.The vaccine was licensed based on clinical data showing that the vaccine meets USDA’s standards for safety, efficacy, purity and potency. The full license follows USDA’s provision of a conditional license last fall, which authorized the vaccine’s sale in states affected by GA 08. First identified in Georgia in December 2007, GA 08 has since been isolated on farms in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. Over the past three winters, its incidence and severity have increased dramatically, along with associated costs. Unlike other IBV strains, which typically affect the upper respiratory tract, GA 08 primarily affects the lower tract, particularly the air sacs. Outbreaks have taken a major economic toll on producers and processors in the Southeast, so making a vaccine available has been a top priority. Although GA 08 rarely makes its presence known on the farm, it becomes a real issue at the processing plant due to higher incidence of airsacculitis. This results in increased condemnations, reduced plant efficiency and ultimately economic loss for producers.
