San Diego, October 13th. Ceva, a global leader in vector vaccines technology, hosted over 280 participants from 41 countries at its first Vector Vaccine Symposium. In line with the company’s aim to bring together experts representing all aspects of the health profession, participants were drawn from a diverse background including poultry production, poultry health, regulatory authorities, leading research institutes and universities. The symposium created a unique opportunity to share information and experiences between valued customers, key note speakers and Ceva’s scientists about the use of vector vaccines in poultry today.

Vector vaccine technology was recognized by leading experts as a significant step forward with huge potential advantages to the management of poultry health and global health. One of the scientific speakers, Dr. Robert Webster,( PhD, FRS from Rose Marie Thomas Chair Division of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) underlined the threat which avian diseases can pose to the human population, influenza being the most obvious, and reiterated in his address, that controlling diseases in (animals) poultry was vital to ensuring human health.

“The link between animal and human welfare is more marked today than ever before, this highlights why we want to reduce the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases, as vaccine manufacturers we have a significant responsibility and we will continue to invest massively in this area” - said Dr. Arnaud Bourgeois, Vice President of the Ceva Group and Director of Global Biology.

Poultry will become the world’s most important source of animal protein in the next few years and the need to balance increased production with assured food safety was a central theme running throughout the symposium. The seminar set out to understand how this new generation of vaccines may be put to best advantage.

Given the recent egg crisis in the US, Ceva added a special session looking at salmonella control in poultry. Expert speakers included Andrew Rhorer from the USDA's NPIP program, Rick van Oort, Ceva’s salmonella specialist, and Eliot Hoff of the Communications agency APCO, which specializes in crisis management. "Salmonella control is one of the most serious food safety issues facing the poultry industry today," said Gary Baxter Director of marketing and business development for Ceva, "and there are many solutions for salmonella control, including vaccination, that are available to the industry today."

The results of last week’s symposium challenge the poultry community to translate the findings from new technologies into practical operation, achieving new standards of disease control.

More information about the Symposium is available at: www.vector-vaccines.com

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