Avian influenza (bird flu): Zoo vaccination costs
Introduction and summary
As vaccination is entirely voluntary, zoos themselves will be responsible for the costs of purchasing and administering the vaccine through their private veterinary surgeon. Zoos may also have to meet the costs of any post-vaccination surveillance testing that may be required during any outbreak.
The private vet costs will include buying the vaccine from Defra, administering it and carrying out any subsequent testing that may be required, including laboratory costs. Two rounds of vaccination are required six to ten weeks apart. PCR tests, prior to movement or if, during an outbreak, they are judged to be required after vaccination, will currently cost £13.40 per sample. Other costs are impossible to estimate as they depend on the amount of work involved in each case, the existing veterinary arrangements of each zoo and the charges of individual private vets.
Vaccine
The vaccine is available in 500ml (1000 dose) and 20ml (40 dose) bottles. The wholesale cost of the vaccine will be £31.50 and £2.80 respectively, but the cost to zoos will be more as the wholesalers and private vets can add a handling charge. At least two bottles will need to be purchased as birds require two rounds of vaccination given six to ten weeks apart to reach full protection. Once the bottle is opened, the vaccine will only last for 24 hours and unused vaccine must be destroyed. Intervet store the vaccine and it will be distributed through the normal wholesale to private vet route, with the money refunded to Defra under the terms of our contract.
Post-vaccination surveillance
We would not need to carry out post-vaccination surveillance in zoos before any outbreak of avian influenza. In the event of an outbreak, we may require surveillance within zoos through PCR testing. If the zoo is in a Protection or Surveillance Zone then this would be part of routine surveillance and would be done at Defra’s expense. If surveillance is deemed necessary outside of these areas, then it may be done at the vaccinating zoo’s expense. Surveillance would be based on the 95/5 rule and the Diagnostic Manual, meaning that up to a maximum of 60 birds may need to be tested in each epidemiological unit, depending on the number of birds vaccinated.
Laboratory tests
If we require post-vaccination surveillance, this would involve PCR testing of one cloacal or oropharyngeal sample from each bird. These tests would be based on DIVA principles, fulfilling our EU obligations, and would currently cost £13.40 per sample.
However, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) are closely investigating the possibility of pooling samples in order to reduce costs and they aim to be able to examine cloacal or oropharyngeal samples from up to five birds of the same species or epidemiological unit together. This would substantially reduce the cost of testing, but is subject to current evaluation and validation at the laboratory.
Separate to this requirement, if zoos wish to test the immune response of their vaccinated birds, they should arrange a blood test for serology, which would cost £5.00 or £4.15 per bird to test more than 10 samples. All these costs would be charged directly by the VLA to the zoo’s private vet who would pass them on to the zoo, possibly with additional charges.
Movement licences
According to current risk assessment, one set of PCR tests taken 7-14 days before movement would be required prior to movement of vaccinated birds off the premises. The zoo would be responsible for getting samples taken and sent for testing. The costs of the tests would be as above, and would be incurred directly by the zoo or their vet.
The Avian Influenza (Fees for the Licensed Vaccination of Birds) (England) Regulations, which will enable Defra to charge for these costs, have recently come into force.
Page last modified:
18 March, 2008