Side-effects of vaccination: An example of the conflict between guidelines and real life.

Trygve T. Poppe and Gunvor Knudsen, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science

P.O. Box 8146 Dep., 0033 Oslo Norway

150 million rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon presmolts are vaccinated with oil-adjuvanted, multivalent vaccines every year in Norway. The intraperitoneally administered vaccines provide good protection against bacterial diseases, and the use of antibiotics has been reduced dramatically since the introduction of vaccines.

Unacceptable side-effects following vaccination has been a recurring problem for the industry, leading to loss of appetite, poor growth and severe granulomatous peritonitis. This causes losses to the industry and most probably also chronic pain to the affected animals.

The fact that these problems still exist after 12 years of use, indicate that the field testing of the vaccines is inadequate and should be improved.