Ceva Wildlife Research Fund

Following the resurgence of avian influenza in Europe since 2020, Hungarian zoos located along major ~~migratory corridors~~ are particularly at risk, with recurring outbreaks among wild and captive birds. To better protect their collections of susceptible birds, a research and vaccination project has been launched in Hungary, with support from Ceva Wildlife Research Fund. The goal: to evaluate the vaccine’s efficacy and safety in order to develop long-term protection tailored to wild birds.

Project overview

Location: Hungary 🇭🇺

Project Leader: Dr. Endre Sos (opens in a new tab) 

Status: In progress

Duration: Undefined (more than 2 years)

Partners:

Budakeszi Zoo

Miskolc Zoo

Tiszata Vioko Center

Budakeszi Zoo

Debrecen Zoo

Györ Zoo

Jászberény Zoo

Ceva Animal Health

Context

An unprecedented epizootic in Europe

Since 2020, Europe has been facing a major ~~outbreak~~ of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), considered the largest ever observed on the continent. Driven primarily by the H5N1 virus of clade 2.3.4.4b, this crisis affects not only domestic birds but also, since 2022, wild bird populations, resulting in the deaths of several million birds.

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the situation is characterized by global geographic spread, a loss of seasonality with year-round viral circulation, and an increasing diversification of affected species—including many captive wild species.

The situation in hungary

According to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) and European EFSA/ECDC reports, Hungary is:

A country that has been severely and repeatedly affected since 2020, with several successive waves of HPAI,
Located along major ~~migratory corridors~~ (Eurasian flyways), it is a country that has reported outbreaks in domestic and wild birds every year since 2021,
Zoological collections are particularly at risk because they house susceptible and exotic species, often in indirect contact with wildlife, which has led to several cases of infection and mortality in certain zoos since 2021.

Project challenges

Why vaccinate birds?

Prior to this project, no vaccination strategy was in place - biosecurity and containment were the only protective measures. To better protect these birds, vaccination appears to be a complementary solution to:

Protect sensitive or heritage species, such as pelicans and African penguins, and preserve genetic reservoirs,
Limit the constraints associated with biosecurity and containment, which can be stressful, disrupt the animals’ natural behaviors, and be burdensome in the long term by requiring constant effort and significant resources. Furthermore, these measures offer no individual protection: each animal remains vulnerable to the disease.
Test innovative solutions such as vaccination strategies tailored to non-domesticated species, by exploring new vaccines and developing protocols that comply with European regulations and are based on the circulating strain 2.3.4.4.b.

However, in birds, and particularly in exotic species:

Data on efficacy and tolerability remain limited,
Immune responses can vary widely depending on the taxon.

“This project is very important to us because avian influenza appears to be becoming endemic in Hungary. Many of our birds are rare species involved in breeding or conservation programs, so it is essential to protect them and ensure that our collections remain safe in the event of an outbreak, which is a crucial responsibility for any zoo.”

Dr. Endre Sos, Director General, Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden

Scientific issue

To what extent can an innovative vaccination strategy serve as an effective, safe, and practical solution to protect multi-species captive bird populations against highly pathogenic avian influenza?

Proposed solution

A next-generation vaccine

The project is based on a vaccine developed by Ceva Santé Animale, originally designed for domestic and farm animals, and whose efficacy is being evaluated here in captive exotic species.

This technology offers several key advantages in a zoological context:

TECHNOLOGY: low species barrier and safety,
ADAPTATION: current circulating strains,
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: no environmental release,
PRACTICALITY: reduced injection volume,
DIAGNOSTICS: differentiation between vaccinated and infected birds (DIVA).

Project objectives

What the Project aims to demonstrate

Immunological efficacy

To evaluate the vaccine’s ability to induce a protective ~~humoral~~ response and to measure the variability of this response across species (raptors, Anseriformes, Phoenicopteriformes, Pelecaniformes, etc.). It is also important to note that the vaccine induces a significant cellular response in addition, although this cannot be measured at this time due to a lack of available tools.

Safety and tolerability

Verify the absence of clinical adverse effects, particularly in sensitive or endangered species.

Applicability in real-world conditions

Validate feasibility in a zoological context: individual traceability, tagging, monitoring, and compliance with European regulations.

Knowledge enhancement

Generate ~~serological~~ reference data for non-domestic avian species and contribute to the development of a protection protocol tailored to captive exotic species in the face of HPAI.

This project is fully aligned with an ~~applied research~~ approach, at the intersection of animal health, conservation, and vaccine innovation.

Project implementation

Key milestones

10/2024

Date of signing of the primovaccination partnership

04/2025

6 months booster

10/2025

Annual booster

2026

Awaiting serological results

Results

The project results have not yet been published but will be released soon.

Ceva WRF's involvement

Our role in this Project

Logistical support: provision of vaccines and vaccination equipment,
Scientific expertise: assistance in developing protocols for vaccinating and monitoring birds,
Financial support for laboratory analyses.

Glossary

All preventive measures aimed at reducing the risk of introduction, spread, and dissemination of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, parasites) in animal and human populations or in the environment. (Source: FAO)

Refers to a vaccine (often inactivated or non-replicating) whose components are incapable of multiplying, spreading, or being excreted by the vaccinated animal into the environment. (Source: European Medicines Agency)

Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals: a strategy used in animal health that makes it possible to distinguish infected animals from those that are simply vaccinated, using specific vaccines and diagnostic tests. (Source: WOAH/OIE)

An epizootic is a disease that spreads rapidly within an animal population, similar to an epidemic in humans. (Source: WHO)

Relating to the humoral immune response, that is, the part of the immune system involving antibodies produced by B cells and circulating in body fluids (blood, lymph).

A type of scientific research aimed at generating knowledge that can be directly applied to solve practical problems (e.g., vaccine development, improvement of medical or agricultural practices). (Source: OECD)

Data relating specifically to antibodies studied in serum (serology) for a given disease.

A geographic area regularly traversed by animal species during their seasonal movements, particularly between their breeding, foraging, and wintering grounds. (Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

A unit of classification of living organisms, used to group organisms with common characteristics. (Source: Systematic biology literature)

Hungary – Studying avian influenza vaccination in wild birds