University of Missouri researchers have created the first-ever vaccine proven to protect cattle from bovine anaplasmosis, a tick-borne cattle disease. The disease infects the red blood cells of cattle and causes millions of dollars in economic losses across the U.S. due to reduced cattle production, treatment costs and animal deaths.
Lead researcher Roman Ganta worked on genetically modifying the pathogen Anaplasma marginale. By deleting a specific gene and then injecting the modified pathogen into cattle, the vaccinated cattle were successfully immunized against the disease.
“I often receive calls from cattle producers who are excited about our research and want to know how soon they can get the vaccine,” Ganta says in a news release. “There is currently no effective, widely available vaccine for the disease, and cattle farmers are very worried about the disease harming or killing their cattle. We want to help farmers in Missouri and around the world and are working hard to come up with a viable solution.”
He continues, “Missouri is a hotbed for tick-borne diseases, and bovine anaplasmosis causes massive economic losses both here in Missouri and around the world. Mizzou has already made substantial contributions to protecting cattle against ticks. For example, many farmers currently give their cattle an antibiotic called chlortetracycline, which was first discovered at Mizzou’s Sanborn Field in 1945. While effective, that medicine doesn’t fully eliminate the infection, so this new vaccine is an innovative step forward to fully eliminate the infection.”
Ganta has patented the vaccine and is working with industry partners to distribute it to cattle producers. The vaccine has been proven to give immunized cattle protection against bovine anaplasmosis for at least a month.
More information on the vaccine can be found on the University of Missouri website or in the published study.
