Lepto is an example of a killed bacterin, and like the killed viral vaccines, booster vaccinations are critical to keep the resistance levels adequately high enough to protect. Bacterial infections create illnesses primarily by producing toxins or poisons. Viruses, on the other hand, create illness by destroying the cells in the body that they have invaded. Too often a disease outbreak is blamed on the vaccine when the real culprit is a breach in management or biosecurity procedures. Pictured here, Dr. Gregory Quakenbush, D.V.M,.Technical Services, Pfizer Animal Health Toxoids are vaccines which contain the inactivated bacterial toxin or poison which ultimately causes the illness and damage of a bacterial infection.
Many bacterial vaccines are a combination of both bacterins and toxoids.
Antitoxins or antiserum are not really vaccines, but rather the antibodies against specific toxins which have been harvested from the immune serum from another animal. Antitoxins are used to reduce the level and damage caused by the release of the bacterial toxins, but they are temporary and do not stimulate the immune system to create protection. Antitoxins are usually used as part of the treatment in certain bacterial infections and are used in combination with antibiotics. Tetanus antitoxin is an example of an antiserum. Vaccine Strengths and Weaknesses E ach vaccine type has its own strengths and weaknesses, and one particular type of vaccine may not fit all situations.