2005 - A Milestone year for Intervet Aquatic Animal Health

Location of Intervet Norbio, Bergen, Norway

22 May 2005

  •  20 years experience in AAH 
  •  10 salmon vaccines
  •  5 years of R&D operations in Singapore 
  •  5 years/10 issues of Intervet AAH Newsletter
  •  2nd fish vaccine in USA 
  •  1st fish vaccine for Japan 
  •  1st warmwater fish vaccine for Asia  

TWENTY YEARS OF AAH EXPERIENCE IN INTERVET 
 
In 1993, Intervet International made a key decision – to enter the aquatic animal healthcare market via the acquisition of Norbio, a small Norwegian company devoted to providing vaccines to the salmon industry since 1985.  

Now, the Intervet Aquatic Animal Health (AAH) Division is an integral part of Intervet International. A pioneer in state-of-the-art aquatic animal health products, the AAH division has consistently been at the forefront of technology in vaccines and disease prevention, and has grown hand in hand with the rapidly developing aquaculture industry. Dedicated exclusively to the research of fish and shrimp diseases, and the development, production and marketing of a complete range of effective aquatic animal health products and disease prevention strategies, Intervet has established two specialised Aquatic Animal Health Research & Development Centres, each located in a major aquaculture production area. Each centre brings together expertise in disciplines like biotechnology, microbiology, immunology and aquatic veterinary science. All this makes Intervet ideally placed to act when a new pathogen is discovered or when vaccine development and tests are required for any aquaculture species. Intervet is fully committed to the development of new preventive measures to tackle the most devastating diseases, in ways that are safe for the environment. Furthermore, Intervet organises and/or supports conferences, workshops and exhibitions. 
 
Economic Losses 
Most economic losses related to diseases are caused by mortality and reduced growth. Although comprehensive data do not generally exist in the industry, the scale of losses can be estimated from the few existing examples. Estimates from various organisations have indicated that approximately 50 % of all fish and shrimp put into cages and ponds are lost due to disease before they reach market size. The actual economic losses in the aquaculture industry world-wide are estimated to be between 7 and 9 billion US$ per year, which is roughly 16% of the world's farmed fish and shellfish value. 
 
Prevention better than cure 
While under certain circumstances antibiotics can provide a useful means of helping to treat some bacterial diseases, there are many problems associated with their use. An important side effect of the use of antibacterial drugs in aquaculture, apart from residue concerns, is the development of drug resistance among the bacterial pathogens. Furthermore, there is no effective chemotherapy for the control of viral diseases. It is against this background that vaccination, based on effective vaccines and vaccination strategies, does and will continue to play a most important and increasing role in aquaculture. Indeed, the growth in salmonid production (> 5 % per annum) over the last five years would not have been possible without the use of effective vaccines. 
 
Highlights in Intervet’s AAH vaccine history 
1988:  First water-based vibriosis vaccine (Norvax® Vibriose). 
1990:  First water-based vibriosis/ furunculosis combination vaccine (Norvax® Triple). 
1993:  First non-mineral oil-based triple vaccine (Norvax® Protect). 
1995:  World’s first pentavalent fish vaccine including a viral component (IPN) based on recombinant DNA technology (Norvax® Protect-IPN). 
1997:  Vibriosis vaccine for sea bass and seabream in the Mediterranean (Norvax® Vibriose). 
1999:  New Norvax® Compact and Norvax® Minova fish vaccine ranges. 
          New oil-based, hexavalent combination vaccine against all major diseases in Atlantic salmon in Norway (Norvax® Compact 6). 
2000:  Opening of a new state-of-the-art AAH R&D Centre in Asia (Singapore). 
2001:  First live-attenuated vaccine against ESC in channel catfish, USA (AQUAVAC-ESC®). 
          First salmon vaccine in Ireland (Norvax® Compact 4). 
          First Intervet salmon vaccine in Chile (Compact™ IPN). 
2003:  Vibriosis vaccine for Atlantic cod in Norway (Norvax Vibriose Marine). 
2004:  First vaccine against salmon pancreas disease, Ireland (Norvax® Compact PD). 
          First Intervet combination vaccines in Chile (Compact™ Fur-IPN; Compact™ Vib-IPN). 
2005:  First Intervet vaccine in Japan, against vibriosis in yellowtail (Norvax® Vibrio mono). 
          First Intervet vaccine in Asia (outside Japan), against Streptococcus iniae in warmwater fish (Norvax® Strep Si). 
          First live-attenuated vaccine against columnaris in channel catfish, USA (AQUAVAC-COL™). 
          First Intervet salmon vaccine in Canada (Norvax® Compact 4).