New rinderpest vaccine

A new vaccine that could rid Africa of rinderpest is ready for field trials in East and West Africa. At present the vaccine used against rinderpest is the Plowright vaccine, but it is expensive and difficult to make, needs a veterinarian to administer, and must be kept in a refrigerator. The new vaccine will overcome all these difficulties. Researchers at the University of California, at Davis, funded by USAID, have used genetic engineering techniques to place two genes from the rinderpest virus into the vaccinia virus, the virus that is used for smallpox vaccine. The two genes trigger an immune response in the vaccinated cattle. The new vaccine can be produced easily. A calf or sheep is vaccinated with the 'altered' or seed virus by scratch as in smallpox vaccination. The scab that forms is then removed and diluted in salt water. This will be sufficient for 3,000,000 doses. Trials have shown that this simple procedure protects cattle infected with 1000 times the usual lethal dose. Discussions are now underway in East and West Africa to carry out intensive trials. If the new vaccine shows efficacy after a year then it can be adapted for general use. For more details, contact Department of Vetednary Microbiology and Immunology University of California Davis 956 19 California USAA new vaccine that could rid Africa of rinderpest is ready for field trials in East and West Africa. At present the vaccine used against rinderpest is the Plowright vaccine, but it is expensive and difficult to make, needs a veterinarian to..