Evidence for a long-lasting single administration contraceptive vaccine in wild grey seals.
A single-administration birth control vaccine based on liposome delivery of porcine zona pellucida antigens reduced pup production in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) by about 90%. Anti-porcine zona pellucida titers of individual seals with two or more recaptures were variable but without a diminishing trend during the 5 year post-immunization period. Seals that produced at least one or more pups during the 2-5 year post-immunization period when the vaccine is fully effective, had an average anti-porcine zona pellucida titer of 5% of the reference serum. In contrast, the subset of seals that did not reproduce but were recaptured during the breeding season had an average titer of 31% of the reference serum. As measured by antibody titers and pup production, there were no differences in efficacy of the vaccine in 14-, 20- and 21-year-old female grey seals.
Brown
R G
RG
Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. rbrow437@is.dal.ca
Bowen
W D
WD
Eddington
J D
JD
Kimmins
W C
WC
Mezei
M
M
Parsons
J L
JL
Pohajdak
B
B
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D003269:Contraception, Immunologic / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D004339:Drug Compounding; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D008081:Liposomes / Q000494:pharmacology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D046048:Seals, Earless; D013552:Swine; D014611:Vaccination; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000276:immunology*
D000906:Antibodies; D008081:Liposomes