Autogenous Escherichia coli Vaccine Application as an Innovative Antimicrobial Therapy in Poultry Farming—A Case Report

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is one of the most common bacterial causes of infection in poultry farming. Whether the infection is localized or systemic, a primary or secondary disease, it is most frequently treated through the application of wide-spectrum antimicrobials. Excessive use of antimicrobials in agriculture is significantly contributing to the worldwide rise of antimicrobial resistance, but is also very expensive and often ineffective in the long term. Here, we present a case where a colibacillosis outbreak on a family farm of laying hens was treated using an autogenous vaccine. The birds had septicemia, cellulitis, and severe skin wounds. They were not vaccinated against E. coli, and did not receive any antimicrobials previously. E. coli strains were isolated from the daily mortalities on the farm and used for preparation of the vaccine. Each bird was given an intramuscular injection of the autogenous vaccine. The immunogenicity of the vaccine was tested by the determination of specific antibody levels in the sera of the birds using the in-house ELISA. Shortly after vaccination, the morbidity and mortality rates significantly decreased, and egg production was improved. The application of the autogenous vaccine served as a curative and preventive measure, and has proven to be a very efficient method of antimicrobial therapy.