PCV2 vaccination affecting antibiotic use on Austrian pig farms

What is it about?

Antibiotic use in agriculture is coming under increased scrutiny in the face of increasing antimicrobial resistance in both humans and animals. The use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed has been banned in the EU since 2006, but there is still substantial prophylactic and therapeutic use on farm. This study assessed the medication records of 65 Austrian pig farms to see if the introduction of a vaccine against porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2) had an effect on overall antimicrobial use. Although PCV2 is a virus (and therefore antibiotics have no direct effect), it is known to cause immunosuppression (reduced immune response) and can therefore enable secondary bacterial infections to occur. Following PCV2 vaccination, reductions were seen in antibiotic use on both farm types tested and for respiratory, digestive tract diseases and prophylactic use. The statistical model used here demonstrated a highly significant (P<0.001) 67% decline in total antimicrobial use on finishing farms when pigs were vaccinated. Farrow-to-finish farms generally used a much lower number of doses of antibiotics than finishing farms and so the vaccination effect was not so noticeable on these farm types (15% decline in antibiotic use). Overall, the study highlighted the benefits of the PCV2 vaccination programme with respect to reducing antimicrobial use in pigs.

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Why is it important?

Antibiotic resistance is increasing and many experts are concerned that we will soon return to the pre-antibiotic age where simple infections and standard surgical procedures will become life-threatening again. Agricultural/veterinary use of antibiotics is often criticised and here we demonstrate how the use of vaccines to prevent clinical disease can reduce antibiotic use in pigs.