A field vaccine trial in Tanzania demonstrates partial protection against malignant catarrhal fever in cattle

Abstract

HighlightsWe carried out the first field trial of a vaccine against malignant catarrhal fever.The vaccine was shown to be safe for use in Tanzanian cattle.The vaccine provided a 56% reduction in transmission of virus to cattle.Non-fatal MCF infections in cattle were more common than previously reported.

Influence of Seasonal Cattle Movement on Prevalence of Trypanosome Infections in Cattle in the Maasai Steppe, Tanzania

“…The presence of trypanosomes in cattle throughout the year in our study area could be associated with several factors including: the year-round presence of wild animals as "trypanosome reservoirs", infestation of tsetse flies (vectors) [14,34] and the frequent cattle-wildlife interaction in common grazing area, thus allowing the chance of year-round trypanosome circulation in the area, [14]. The low trypanosome prevalence recorded in October are avoidance of cultivated areas to minimise conflicts with crop farmers and avoidance of Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF) disease-prone areas, for example calving grounds used by wildebeests known to carry risk of Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF) infection [35]. However, inspite of efforts by pastoral community-using diseases (MCF) avoidance as strategies to rescuer their livestock, yet cattle become vulnerable to trypanosome infections as they continuously encounter tsetse fly bites in new grazing areas.…”

The efficacy of alcelaphine herpesvirus-1 (AlHV-1) immunization with the adjuvants Emulsigen ® and the monomeric TLR5 ligand FliC in zebu cattle against AlHV-1 malignant catarrhal fever induced by experimental virus challenge

“…The finding that 15% of the trial cattle had evidence of prior AlHV-1 infection was therefore surprising. Non-fatal infections have been reported in SA-MCF (Moore et al, 2010, Otter et al, 2002) and serological evidence of non-fatal infections was described in the field trial (Lankester et al, 2016). These findings add further evidence that non-fatal outcomes are a feature of WA-MCF and that the case-fatality ratio could be lower than previously described.…”

“…The same calculations were also made for comparison using data from the Tanzania-based field trial (Lankester et al, 2016) and the UK-based trial (Russell et al, 2012) (hereafter termed Russell), both of which used Emulsigen ® as an adjuvant, and the UK-based trial that used Freund’s adjuvant (Haig et al, 2008) (hereafter termed Haig). The formula is shown in Supporting information 2.…”

“…The vaccine strategy gave FH cattle approximately 90% protection against AlHV-1 challenge while the duration of protection was limited to around six months. However a subsequent field trial experiment (Lankester et al, 2016) indicated that in shorthorn zebu cross (SZC) cattle the level of protection was only 56% under conditions of natural transmission. One explanation for the difference in the levels of protection seen is that FH and SZC cattle may respond differently to the vaccine.…”

Seroprevalence of malignant catarrhal fever virus in captive wildebeest (Connochaetessp.)in France

“…), banteng ( Bos javanicus ), Nile lechwe ( Kobus megaceros ), water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) and Père David's deer ( Elaphurus davidianus ) are examples of highly susceptible species frequently kept in captivity in zoological collections, some of them being endangered species (Flach, Reid, Pow, & Klemt, ; Frontoso et al., ; Li et al., ; Reid, ; Reid, Buxton, McKelvey, Milne, & Appleyard, ; Russell, Stewart, & Haig, ; Whitaker, Wessels, Campbell, & Russell, ; Zhu et al., ). Despite ongoing research, there is no vaccine readily available to prevent WD‐MCF (Haig et al., ; Lankester, Lugelo et al., ; Lankester, Russell et al., ; Palmeira et al., ). Thus, the only available prevention remains the strict physical separation of species, which is not always convenient in zoological collections.…”