Nobivac® Myxo-RHD PLUS Questions and Answers
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What is Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS?
Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS is MSD Animal Health’s new vectored vaccine, which provides 3 in 1 coverage against myxomatosis, classic and variant strains of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD), ensuring rabbits are immunised against both common strains of RHD.
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Why has MSD Animal Health updated Nobivac Myxo-RHD?
An emerging variant strain of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD-2) was discovered in 2010 in France and has since become widespread in the UK. Further research and pharmacovigilance demonstrated that demonstrate that vaccination with classic (RHD-1) strains does not provide reliable immunity against the variant RHD-2 strains.
Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS now includes two RHD-vectored myxoma strains to provide comprehensive immunity against myxomatosis, and both classic and variant RHD.
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How does Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS work?
Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS provides broad cover against myxoma virus and both RHD-1 and RHD-2 from a single vaccine using the same recombinant vector technology present in Nobivac Myxo-RHD. The vaccine contains a similar amount of classic strain vector to Nobivac Myxo-RHD, ensuring no reduction of antigenicity against this component.
A convenient single dose given from 7 weeks of age provides protection against all 3 pathogens with a minimum duration of immunity of 12 months.
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What's different about Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS?
The new vaccine has a number of advantages/benefits:
1. Vaccinates against both field strains of RHD
- contains equal quantities of both myxoma-virus vectored classic RHD-1 and variant RHD-2 strains. Both strains use VP 60 capsid genes.
2. No adjuvant is required as it is a live vectored vaccine
3. Lower volume to administer compared to Nobivac Myxo-RHD
- reconstituted with 0.5 ml of vaccine solvent rather than 1 ml
4. May be given from 5 weeks of age
- however, to avoid a reduction duration of immunity caused by MDA in some rabbits, vaccination after 7 weeks of age is recommended
5. Approved for use during pregnancy
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How do I switch to Myxo-RHD PLUS
Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS has proven efficacy in naïve rabbits and effectively boosts rabbits previously vaccinated against myxomatosis, RHDV-1 and RHDV-2. However please note that Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS vaccine product labelling also includes the following statement:
Rabbits that have been vaccinated previously with another myxomatosis vaccine, or that have experienced natural myxomatosis infection in the field, may not develop an adequate immune response against rabbit haemorrhagic disease following vaccination.
This statement relates to the phenomenon of vector interference which is very relevant to a very specific subset of rabbits being switched over to the new vaccine. Based on the results of efficacy and switching studies, an optimum approach to avoid this potential risk as laid out below.
Annual boosters for all groups of rabbits in all subsequent years can be managed successfully with Nobivac Myxo-RHD PLUS.
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Is Nobivac Myxo-RHD still available?
No more Nobivac Myxo-RHD is being manufactured and stocks will run down during the year. We recommend that while stocks last that the legacy vaccine is reserved to dose rabbits that need to be given an inactivated RHDV-2 vaccine this year (please see switching advice above).
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For full information please refer to the product data sheet.
Nobivac® Myxo-RHD PLUS contains live myxoma vectored RHD virus strain 009 and MK 1898. POM-V
MSD Animal Health UK Limited. Registered office Walton Manor, Walton, Milton Keynes MK7 7AJ, UK. Registered in England & Wales no. 946942.
Further information is available from the SPC, Datasheet or package leaflet. Advice should be sought from the medicine prescriber.
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