Marek's disease true threat

[Lainy3591]

From what I understand because the Marek's vaccine is a live vaccine, whether vaccinated chickens currently live, or have lived on a property in recent years, unvaccinated chickens brought in have a good chance of succumbing to the disease. We bought this property a few months ago and the previous owners had kept a small flock (about 10 birds) of vaccinated chickens for years. If the live vaccine can spread the risk of the disease through the vaccinated chickens' dander, how much of a risk is it for me to start an unvaccinated flock of Ameraucanas this Spring? There was no chicken run and the coop was removed, but the free-range chickens spent their days under the trees taking sand baths, preening, and sleeping. Am I limited to buying only vaccinated chicks and eventually, in good conscience, not be able to sell their offspring to someone who wants to add chicks to their unvaccinated flock?

 

[nuthatched]

If it's been a few months plus a winter, plus another few months to spring, I honestly don't think there's anything to worry about.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

From what I understand because the Marek's vaccine is a live vaccine, whether vaccinated chickens currently live, or have lived on a property in recent years, unvaccinated chickens brought in have a good chance of succumbing to the disease. We bought this property a few months ago and the previous owners had kept a small flock (about 10 birds) of vaccinated chickens for years. If the live vaccine can spread the risk of the disease through the vaccinated chickens' dander, how much of a risk is it for me to start an unvaccinated flock of Ameraucanas this Spring? There was no chicken run and the coop was removed, but the free-range chickens spent their days under the trees taking sand baths, preening, and sleeping. Am I limited to buying only vaccinated chicks and eventually, in good conscience, not be able to sell their offspring to someone who wants to add chicks to their unvaccinated flock?

Hoping one of the more experienced posters can jump in, but Penn State says months to over a year. The gov't of Australia says months (at room temp). Cornell, too (4-8 months room temp). CABI similar.

If the grounds have been clear of poutry for over a year, I would presume you've reasonably mitigated re-infection risk - though the possibility of wild birds bringing it (back?) to the grounds remains high.

 

[raingarden]

Isn't it a live attenuated vaccine? The attenuation process makes the virus much less pathogenic even though it is still alive. Live attenuated vaccines are known to occasionally leak virions that are somewhat pathogenic, but that is not the norm. So, the amount of pathogenic virus shed into the environment is likely to have been very small to begin with.

 

[theoldchick]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23901761/

 

[raingarden]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23901761/

Thank you very much. Scary.