Current Status and Future Strategies of Poultry Vaccines

Since the advent of cowpox vaccination against smallpox in 1796, vaccine development has evolved through three generations: inactivated and attenuated vaccines, subunit vaccines, and to now third-generation viral vector and nucleic acid vaccines. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to pose a significant threat to both livestock and public health. Beginning in 2022, the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) recommended the use of HPAI vaccines to control its spread in poultry, with viral vector vaccines demonstrating strong protective efficacy. To address rapid viral mutations, a novel vaccine platform utilizing CRISPR gene editing has been developed to produce recombinant viral vector vaccines targeting recent variant viral diseases in poultry. These recombinant vaccines have shown robust immunogenicity and high efficacy in animal models, underscoring their potential in combating emerging viral variants. The application prospects of these viral vector vaccines are promising, as they offer a flexible and rapid response to new variants, potentially transforming disease management in both poultry and broader livestock industries.