Vet scientist proposes mass immunisation for livestock

Mass immunisation programme for livestock coupled with thermostable animal vaccines, with the help of heavy water can prevent several infections and increase their reach to remote areas without the cold chain, a top veterinary scientist has said.

"We need to control viral and bacterial diseases in the livestock instead of slaughtering diseased animals. This is possible if the government takes up an immunisation initiative on the lines of polio eradication programme on domestic animals including cattle which are exported. Mass immunisation programme for livestock  will give us a chance to stop several infections," Dr A Samad, director, Bombay Veterinary College said.

The foot and mouth disease, tuberculosis and para tuberculosis are some of the important diseases that needs immediate attention, he said.
     
Samad, who was speaking at the National Conference on 'Non-nulcear applications of Heavy Water and Deuterium' also elaborated on the fact that till date, livestock vaccines areonly in the form of injectables, but said that vaccines available for animals can be made thermostable.

"Scientists in the Bombay Veterinary College and Indian Veterinary Research Insitute, Nainital have proved that using heavy water, the vaccines available for animals can be made thermostable and could be given orally with slow drug delivery systems and the vaccines can now reach even remotest places without the cold chain," he said.
       
The Bombay Veterinary College has been working closely with the Heavy Water Board of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) assessing the effect of heavy water (D2O) on thermal stability of bovine vaccines to find the antibody titter to maintain the cold, the growth  morphology of some bacteria and on poultry viruses.

Samad also said there is a need for a consortium so that production of large-scale thermostable vaccine, vaccine delivery system and other related issues could be resolved under one roof with scientists, doctors and pharma companies working together.

The Heavy Water Board (HWB) has also worked with the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) Enterovirus Research Centre (ERC) in the city and showed that there is a definite improvement in the thermostability of polio vaccine, which will enable the transporation of vaccines to remote areas without the need for cold chain facility, he said.

"The vaccine could withstand exposure at 37, 42 and 45 degree centigrade for seven, four and two days respiectively," Dr Jagdish M Deshpande, director ERC said .

"However, difficulties were encountered  in implementing further steps of large scale manufacture of heavy Water oral Polio virus (d-OPV) under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facilities and clinical trials," Deshpande said.

HWB chairman and chief executive ALN Rao said that they negotiating with with pharma companies on this.