Scientists at the world renowned Moredun Research Institute in Scotland, have made a major breakthrough in the battle to prevent and control parasitic worm infections by successfully protecting sheep using vaccination. The team at Moredun have recently had their results published in the leading scientific journal Vaccine1 and the paper reports the most successful attempt yet to protect animals against worms, using a laboratory produced vaccine, giving hope for a sustainable control strategy that does not rely on drugs.
Parasitic worms (nematodes) have profound effects on human and animal health and welfare worldwide: over 1 billion humans, primarily in the developing world, are affected by soil-transmitted nematodes. When measured in terms of disability-adjusted life years, their global impact is comparable to that of malaria or tuberculosis. Infection of livestock with closely related parasitic nematodes can have devastating effects on health and production, affecting food security in developed and developing regions. Despite decades of intensive research, the development of vaccines against these pathogens has been unsuccessful.Dr Alasdair Nisbet, who is heading up the research team at Moredun said, “Currently, these pathogens are controlled using drugs, however multi-drug resistant isolates are being reported with such frequency that development of a vaccine against this species is now a research priority”.
· Parasitic worms In sheep, the primary cause of parasitic gastroenteritis (PGE) in temperate regions worldwide is the nematode Teladorsagia circumcincta which lives in the animal’s stomach causing damage to the stomach lining, resulting in poor productivity, diarrhoea and, in some cases, death in lambs. PGE is estimated to cost the UK sheep industry in excess of £80 M per annum and, like all other nematodes of sheep, T. circumcincta is controlled by wormers; however, drug resistance is rife and multi-drug resistant isolates are being reported with such frequency that development of a vaccine against this species is now a research priority. Parasitic worms (nematodes) have profound effects on human and animal health and welfare worldwide: over 1 billion humans, primarily in the developing world, are affected by soil-transmitted nematodes. When measured in terms of disability-adjusted life years, their global impact is comparable to that of malaria or tuberculosis. Infection of livestock with closely related parasitic nematodes has devastating effects on health and production, affecting food security in developed and developing regions. Despite decades of intensive research, the development of vaccines against these pathogens has been unsuccessful. The challenges for development of such vaccines are considerable and include selection of appropriate vaccine components, optimization of the production of the components, identification of practicable delivery routes for sustained immune responses, selection of appropriate model host systems and, ultimately, clinical development.