Technical requirements for autogenous vaccines in animal production

Keywords

Antimicrobial resistance – Autogenous vaccine – Immunisation – Passive immunity – Vaccine manufacturing.

Summary

Disease prevention in intensive animal production relies mainly on biosecurity and vaccination. Commercial vaccines target globally relevant pathogens but may fail when field strains evolve antigenically. In such cases, autogenous vaccines, customised from pathogens isolated within affected herds and used in the same herd (or in epidemiologically linked herds), provide tailored protection and have gained relevance across production systems. The central challenge is defining technical and regulatory requirements that ensure their safe, consistent and effective use. Their reduced regulatory oversight raises concerns about product quality and process consistency. The key research question is how autogenous vaccines can be produced under defined quality standards and effectively integrated into herd/flock health programmes while balancing their advantages against inherent limitations. This review compiles evidence from literature, regulatory frameworks and field applications. The manufacturing process, from pathogen isolation, characterisation and inactivation to formulation, under good manufacturing practices is discussed. Comparisons with commercial vaccines highlight differences in regulation, specificity and protection spectrum. Maternal immunity is also considered, as enhanced antibody transfer may interfere with subsequent vaccination. Autogenous vaccines offer rapid, herd-specific response and may reduce antimicrobial use. However, their effectiveness depends on compliance with good manufacturing practices, targeted strain surveillance, and integration with biosecurity and commercial vaccination. When responsibly applied, they complement conventional tools for controlling evolving pathogens.