The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) announced it has received two grants from the International Veterinary Vaccinology Network (IVVN) to advance vaccine research into bovine babesiosis (BB) and bovine tuberculosis (bTB).
£89,000 was awarded to explore the genetic diversity and vaccine potential of BB, a tick borne disease affecting cattle, which is caused by parasites replicating in red blood cells, resulting in fever, anaemia, anorexia and death.
This research will be led by lecturer in vaccinology at the RVC, Dr. Ellen Knuepfer, in collaboration with independent researcher based at the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, Argentina, Dr. Silvina Wilkowsky.
Dr Knuepfer said: “We are delighted with the opportunity to start this collaboration with Dr. Wilkowsky’s organisation in Argentina and delve down into the genetic diversity of Babesia parasites infecting cattle, both in Argentina and the UK.
“This funding will allow us to test a group of proteins called TSR proteins, not only on a genetic level, but also to explore their function, and application as vaccine antigen to protect cattle from this often fatal disease.”
The researchers will conduct research into a prospective BB vaccine designed at targeting common proteins found across the three parasites responsible for transmitting the virus.
If successful, a vaccine would help to eradicate the disease which is known to have a detrimental impact on the welfare of cattle, causing “significant economic losses” for farmers whose herds have been affected.
According to RVC, a safe and effective vaccine will particularly benefit and support farmers in low and middle income countries.
bTB vaccine research
The second grant, valued at £79,000, will be invested into research profiling the genetic diversity of the bTB strains currently in circulation in Algeria, in a bid to examine the potential efficacy of a vaccine targeting these field strains.
bTB is a prolific bacterial disease which causes fever, diarrhoea and loss of appetite and weight, among impacted animals, posing both a financial burden to the farmer whose herd has waned in productivity, and a transmission risk to humans.
This research will be led by associate professor in molecular bacteriology, Dr. Sharon Kendall and senior lecturer in bioinformatics at the RVC, Dr. Dong Xia, in collaboration with scientists from the University of Oxford and the University of Medea, Algeria.
“Although I am familiar with exploring host-pathogen interactions in laboratory-adapted strains, this will be the first time we have investigated the behaviour of field strains. It brings the work closer to field-relevant situations,” Dr. Sharon Kendall.
Associate professor of ‘One Health’ at the University of Oxford, Dr. Rachel Tanner added: “The project brings together a broad range of expertise to create a team that is greater than the sum of its parts, tackling the important global One Health issue of bovine TB.”
As it stands, there is currently no vaccine effective for use against bTB, however according to the RVC, the UK and other countries are currently in the process of developing prototypes.
This research will determine the extent to which vaccination can inhibit the incidence of the disease, which, if successful, could revolutionise its control and reduce the gravity of the risks attached.
RVC has claimed that both grants will serve as “pump-prime grants” designed to be invested in pilot projects, aimed at paving the way for further larger research bursaries in time.
