A LIVE ATTENUATED VERO-CELL-BASED GOATPOX VACCINE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST GOATPOX

摘要

Small ruminants represent an important component of Indian livestock industry benefiting a large section of rural poor. This livestock is mainly owned by small-scale, marginal and landless farmers and they contribute substantially to their income and livelihood. Capri pox infections are most significant in small ruminants as they cause substantial losses through lowering the productivity, mortality and hide damage apart from loss due to international trade restrictions. However, as per a recent report (Gamer et al, 2000), in Maharashtra state alone, the annual loss attributed to capripox is of 63.5% and 49.5%, respectively. The need for an efficient vaccine in the form of live modified vaccine which can provide long lasting immunity has long been realized. The attempts to protect either goats with SPPV vaccines or sheep with GTPV vaccines have been unsuccessful (Prasad and Datt, 1973; Bhanuprakash et al, 2006). It is usually recommended that for effective protection of goats against goatpox, homologous vaccine (as developed by us) should be used (Rao and Bandyopadhyay, 2000). This vaccine derived from indigenous strain of GTPV can be used for control of goatpox in the country where the disease is endemic. Widespread use of this vaccine is expected to significantly bring down the incidence of the disease contributing eventually to the enhanced small ruminant productivity. Capripoxviruses including GTPV are genetically quite stable. Thus, the vaccine developed by us, as claimed in this patent application, can effectively be used for control of goatpox in other Asian nations also, where goatpox is currently endemic, signifying the export potential of this vaccine. The invention relates to development of homologous live attenuated vaccine for control of goatpox. The vaccine is given intra-5dermally underneath the tail @ 0.2 ml per animal. The protective immunity of the vaccine is for 26 months (as studied so far) and is probably life long.