Skip to content
POM-VPS Prescription Required

Poulvac Marek CVI + HVT Concentrate and Solvent for Suspension for Injection for Chickens

Active ingredients: Marek's disease virus, Turkey herpesvirus

Form

Injection

Species

Chickens

Manufacturer

Zoetis UK Limited

VMD MA No.

42058/5223

What it's used for

Vaccination of healthy chickens to reduce mortality and lesions caused by Marek’s Disease.

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓
View official SPC (PDF)

The prescription itself has a price. See what practices near you charge for a consultation and the written prescription fee.

Paying less for Marek's disease virus + Turk...

  1. 1

    Ask your vet for a written prescription

    They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.

  2. 2

    Fill it at a registered online retailer

    The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

Prescription required

Your vet must provide a written prescription on request. You can then purchase from any licensed online retailer.

Clinical information

Poulvac Marek CVI + HVT Concentrate and Solvent for Suspension for Injection for Chickens — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 26 Mar 2026.

Vaccination of healthy chickens to reduce mortality and lesions caused by
Marek’s Disease.
One dose (0.2 intramuscularly or 0.5 subcutaneously) per chicken. The
vaccine is to be administered intramuscularly in one of the leg muscles or
subcutaneously in the neck.
Use within 2 hours of reconstitution.
Dilution of vaccine: Reconstitute each 1,000 doses with 200 ml of diluent.
2,000 dose vials should be reconstituted in 400 ml of diluent. To administer
subcutaneously, dilute 1,000 doses in 500 ml of diluent. Dilution should be
done under sterile conditions with diluent at room temperature. An ampoule
may occasionally explode after it has been taken out of liquid nitrogen so
goggles should be worn.
Preparation of the vaccine shall be planned before the ampoules are taken
from the liquid nitrogen and the exact amount of vaccine ampoules and
amount of diluent needed shall be calculated first. There is no information
available on the number of doses on the ampoules once they are removed
from the cane. Special care has to be taken to ensure that the mix-ups of
ampoules with different number of doses is avoided and the correct diluent is
used.

Revised: December 2025
MA split from NI Expiry following AN: 02965/2025
Take the ampoule of vaccine out of the container of liquid nitrogen into a bowl
containing clean tepid water (temperature 27°C (80°F) and not higher than
37°C (98°F)). Thaw the vaccine concentrate by carefully turning the ampoule,
then remove from the water and dry the ampoule. The thawed vaccine
concentrate must be used immediately.
Break the ampoule and withdraw the total contents carefully into a 10 ml sterile
disposable syringe, using an 18G x 1 and a half inch (1.2 x 40 mm) or larger
gauge needle. Slowly withdraw about 8 ml of diluent into the syringe. Turn the
syringe 5-10 times to mix the contents well. Slowly transfer a small volume of
the mixture into the empty vaccine ampoule in order to remove the last
remnants of the vaccine and withdraw this small amount back into the syringe,
and carefully transfer the entire contents of the syringe into the diluent bottle.
Rotate the bottle about 10 times to mix the contents well. The bottle of diluent
should be kept closed throughout the procedure.
The vaccine is now ready for use.
Administration
Poulvac Marek CVI + HVT may be administered either manually, preferably by
using a multi-dose syringe dose and fitted with a 23G x 1 inch (0.60 x 25 mm)
needle, or by a vaccination machine.
Administer the vaccine intramuscularly into the thigh muscle or subcutaneously
in the neck.
NB During vaccination procedure, rotate the bottle of reconstituted vaccine
solution every 5 minutes to prevent the cells from sedimenting.
Use within 2 hours of reconstitution.
Do not vaccinate unhealthy chickens. Avoid early exposure of chicks to
Marek’s disease to allow for development of protection. No more than one
single dose of vaccine should be administered to one day old chicks only.
None (if vaccinated according to recommended methods).
The vaccine viruses have the potential to spread. All chickens on a site should
be vaccinated. In a study in highly susceptible Rhode Island Red birds,
vaccine virus was shown to increase in virulence after 10 passages.

i. Special precautions for use in animals
Exposure to heat and direct sunlight must be avoided.
Contact with disinfectants makes the vaccine ineffective.
Use clean materials for vaccination.
Avoid vaccination of stressed animals.
Avoid injection into or near joints and tendons.
ii. Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary
medicinal product to animals
To avoid all possible risks of working with liquid nitrogen and/or explosion of
glass ampoules, the following precautions must be taken:
Use of gloves.
Use of facial protection or safety goggles.
Use of skin-covering clothing.
Operator Warnings: Liquid nitrogen causes serious freeze burns and thawing
ampoules may occasionally explode after removal from the liquid nitrogen.

Revised: December 2025
MA split from NI Expiry following AN: 02965/2025
Operators must protect their face with a visor or goggles and hands with
gloves, when handling liquid nitrogen containers and when thawing ampoules.
If liquid nitrogen is spilt and comes into contact with skin causing frostbite
injuries immediately:
Warm affected area by immersion in water at 29 ± 1°C or by the use of body
heat. Considerable pain will be experienced during warming but this is normal.
Do not rub the affected area. Seek medical advice if full function and feeling
are not rapidly restored.
After handling vaccine, operators should wash and disinfect their hands with an
approved disinfectant.
No information is available on the safety and efficacy from the concurrent use
of this vaccine with any other except Poulvac IB Primer and Poulvac NDW. It
is therefore recommended that no other vaccines than these should be
administered within 14 days before or after vaccination with the product.
The vaccine is to be stored at -196°C in a container with liquid nitrogen. Store
the solvent at room temperature or at +2ºC to +8ºC in the dark. Avoid
exposure to heat and/or direct sunlight. Once thawed, the vaccine cannot be
refrozen.
For a full list of excipients, see section

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.

Medication costs adding up?

Pet insurance can cover prescription medications. Find the right policy for your pet.

Compare insurance

Find cheaper vets near you

Compare vet consultation prices in your area. Save on procedures and get a prescription to buy medications online.