Evidence for a long-lasting single administration contraceptive vaccine in wild grey seals

• Published in: Journal of reproductive immunology Vol. 35; no. 1; pp. 43 - 51
• Main Authors: Brown, R.G, Bowen, W.D, Eddington, J.D, Kimmins, W.C, Mezei, M, Parsons, J.L, Pohajdak, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.11.1997
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; Animals, Wild; Antibodies - blood; Birth control; Contraception, Immunologic - methods; Contraception, Immunologic - veterinary; Drug Compounding; Female; Fertility; Halichoerus grypus; Liposome delivery; Liposomes - pharmacology; Longitudinal Studies; Pregnancy; Seals, Earless; Swine; Vaccination; Zona pellucida; Zona Pellucida - immunology; Canada; Halichoerus grypus; Birth control; Zona pellucida; Liposome delivery
• ISSN: 0165-0378; 1872-7603
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-0378(97)00047-8

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.