FMD future - Some good news!
Originally from: Farmtalking
29 September 2003
FMD future: vaccines or funeral pyres?
Millions of animals could be needlessly slaughtered and billions of dollars lost from economies, unless the world backs an international science team to develop new tools to fight foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). A group of world-leading researchers aims to develop a more effective FMD vaccine and better diagnostic tests that would enable livestock disease control agencies to isolate and eventually eliminate the disease. The team of scientists from the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, and Australia, are leading a call for international support for a bold five-year research project.
“Foot-and-mouth disease is a global problem and it requires a global solution,” says project leader, Dr Martyn Jeggo, Director of CSIRO Livestock Industries’ Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL). “Most countries probably can’t afford the burden of funding the necessary research, but the world cannot afford to sit back and do nothing. That’s why we shall call on international donors for support.”
“We have the scientific capabilities and commitment to successfully deliver this project. What is needed is a commitment by the international community to fund the work, which we estimate will cost US$60 million. This is a paltry sum compared to the approximate US$12 billion cost of the 2001 FMD outbreak in the UK.”
With members drawn from AAHL, the UK’s Institute for Animal Health at Pirbright, the United States’ Plum Island Animal Disease Center, and Canada’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, the team features some of the world’s leading experts in the development of FMD vaccines and diagnostic tests.
Dr David Paton from the Institute for Animal Health says currently available FMD vaccines can protect animals from becoming sick but not from becoming infected with the virus. In addition they require several days to confer protection.
“In five years we aim to deliver more effective FMD vaccines and sophisticated diagnostic tests which will ensure a longer duration of immunity and that vaccinated animals are not confused with infected animals,” Dr Paton says. “Vaccination would then become a more acceptable option for control of an outbreak in traditionally disease-free areas, like Europe. “This would mean that, instead of having to slaughter millions of animals simply because they are suspected of being infected, a vaccination program could be an alternative method of controlling the spread of the disease.”
Dr Paul Kitching of Canada’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease says it is “almost inevitable” that there will be future outbreaks of FMD in industrialised countries such as the UK, Canada, US, Australia or New Zealand. “For a relatively small investment, the international community could dramatically improve its capacity to deal with the scourge of FMD,” he says.
Dr Paton continues, “Ultimately our aim has got to be better control of FMD in those parts of the world where the disease remains endemic. The Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme is a success story that could be copied in the case of FMD. Total rinderpest eradication is now in sight. Whilst there are a number of factors that have been critical to this success, the availability of diagnostics and a vaccine able to confer life-long immunity, has been of crucial importance,” he says.
Dr Tom McKenna of the Plum Island Animal Disease Centre in the US says field-testing of candidate vaccines developed by the research team could then take place in collaboration with countries presently infected with FMD. This would occur in consultation with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS), including Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South Africa, PanAftosa, South America, and Pakchong Laboratory, Thailand.
Originally from: lina
Hi Jane,
I don't know where you got this article from, but this
is a bit like re inventing another wheel. They already
have more effective FMD vaccine for all seven strains
of FMD. And they have the diagnostic tests as well.
So why would they need 60 million dollars to invent
something that is already there?
Lina
--- ... wrote:
29 September 2003FMD future: vaccines or funeral pyres?
Millions of animals could be needlessly slaughtered
and billions of dollars lost from economies, unless
the world backs an international science team to
develop new tools to fight foot-and-mouth disease
(FMD).
A group of world-leading researchers aims to develop
a more effective FMD vaccine and better diagnostic
tests that would enable livestock disease control
agencies to isolate and eventually eliminate the
disease. The team of scientists from the United
Kingdom, Canada, United States, and Australia, are
leading a call for international support for a bold
five-year research project.“Foot-and-mouth disease is a global problem and it
requires a global solution,” says project leader, Dr
Martyn Jeggo, Director of CSIRO Livestock
Industries’ Australian Animal Health Laboratory
(AAHL). “Most countries probably can’t afford the
burden of funding the necessary research, but the
world cannot afford to sit back and do nothing.
That’s why we shall call on international donors for
support.“We have the scientific capabilities and commitment
to successfully deliver this project. What is needed
is a commitment by the international community to
fund the work, which we estimate will cost US$60
million. This is a paltry sum compared to the
approximate US$12 billion cost of the 2001 FMD
outbreak in the UK.With members drawn from AAHL, the UK’s Institute for
Animal Health at Pirbright, the United States’ Plum
Island Animal Disease Center, and Canada’s National
Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, the team features
some of the world’s leading experts in the
development of FMD vaccines and diagnostic tests.Dr David Paton from the Institute for Animal Health
says currently available FMD vaccines can protect
animals from becoming sick but not from becoming
infected with the virus. In addition they require
several days to confer protection.“In five years we aim to deliver more effective FMD
vaccines and sophisticated diagnostic tests which
will ensure a longer duration of immunity and that
vaccinated animals are not confused with infected
animals,” Dr Paton says. “Vaccination would then
become a more acceptable option for control of an
outbreak in traditionally disease-free areas, like
Europe. “This would mean that, instead of having to
slaughter millions of animals simply because they
are suspected of being infected, a vaccination
program could be an alternative method of
controlling the spread of the disease.Dr Paul Kitching of Canada’s National Centre for
Foreign Animal Disease says it is “almost
inevitable” that there will be future outbreaks of
FMD in industrialised countries such as the UK,
Canada, US, Australia or New Zealand. “For a
relatively small investment, the international
community could dramatically improve its capacity to
deal with the scourge of FMD,” he says.Dr Paton continues, “Ultimately our aim has got to
be better control of FMD in those parts of the world
where the disease remains endemic. The Global
Rinderpest Eradication Programme is a success story
that could be copied in the case of FMD. Total
rinderpest eradication is now in sight. Whilst there
are a number of factors that have been critical to
this success, the availability of diagnostics and a
vaccine able to confer life-long immunity, has been
of crucial importance,” he says.Dr Tom McKenna of the Plum Island Animal Disease
Centre in the US says field-testing of candidate
vaccines developed by the research team could then
take place in collaboration with countries presently
infected with FMD. This would occur in consultation
with National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS),
including Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, South
Africa, PanAftosa, South America, and Pakchong
Laboratory, Thailand.--
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Originally from: lina
Hi Coleen,
Yes that is exactly what it is a total waste of time
and money. I can not believe that they would be that
stupid so why would they need so much money?
Not for inventing a vaccine and certainly not for
inventing these tests.
Lina
--- Coleen Taylor <...>
Originally from: coleen
Hi Lina
Five years also, how many animals could die needlessly in that space of time. All sounds like time wasting to me and money for old rope.
Coleen
Originally from: Farmtalking
Hi Lina –
I got the information sent to me by – http://www.alphagalileo.org/index.cfm
one of the world's leading resources for scientific research news and a highly respected source.
I'm so sorry that you seem to dismiss this information, thinking the proposed international research is needless.
During and since FMD in 2001, I and many others have constantly tried to share information that we thought was not only relevent to our appalling situation but might help to alleviate it both for ourselves and world-wide.
The veterinary scientists involved in this proposed programm are world experts in their field and our own Dr. Paul Kitching has personally been extremely helpful to us both in the general information he has been willing to share and to individual farmers affected by FMD.
The fact that he and Drs. McKenna, Jeggo and Paton are wanting to work together and share research to provide us with an even better vaccine that as Dr. Paton says, will not only protect livestock from becoming sick but from becoming infected.
They aim to deliver what will be far more effective FMD vaccines and sophisticated diagnostic tests than those available now which will ensure a longer duration of immunity and that vaccinated animals are not confused with infected animals.
I think they have every chance of succeeding at remarkably low cost and vaccination will become not only an acceptable option but couldl IMO become the 'norm' for control of an outbreak in traditionally disease-free areas and we really could look forward to the eradication of the disease.
Best wishes, Jane
Originally from: Bill
"world experts in their field"!!!!!!! Kitching??????
Are you being serious, Jane?
Bill.
Originally from: coleen
We did not say we doubted their credibility Jane, we simply asked why? We here in the UK cannot even use what is available now.
It does seem rather silly to my limited brain capacity
Coleen
Originally from: MediaVets
Lina
Originally from: Farmtalking
I too would have liked them to have used what was available in 2001 but they didn't.
In, heaven forbid, the event of another outbreak – thank goodness – there are provisions for emergency vaccination and I hope they would use them.
However, we know it will only be ring vaccination if they do.
We have to try and improve what's available and the fact that scientists are willing to work together and hopefully, their Government's fund them, is nothing but good news.
If, when Fleming discovered penicillin, others had said 'We have an antibiotic mow so what's the point in spending more money on research to find better ones, I for one would not be alive today and neither would millions of others!
In fact, research into alternative antibiotics continues today and we should be delighted that it does.
Isn't what is proposed by Kitching et al, exactly what we want?
I can think of nothing better than the real possibility that we could eradicate the disease in this way and that is certainly what I want!
Originally from: MediaVets
Coleen
Originally from: Joyce
Personally I don't care how much is spent, or how long, in developing new, better and more humane disease control methods/vaccinations etc .....BUT.... the will to use what is available at any given time is what seems to be sadly lacking.
Joyce
Originally from: lina
Andrew,
I said it is already developed! So why waste that much
money on research and development when it is already
done.
Lina
Why? – do you not want an internationally accepted
effective multivalent
FMD vaccine?
If not, what is it that you do want?
I can not believe that they would be that
stupid so why would they need so much money?
Have you any idea how much pharmaceutical research and
development costs?
Not to mention licensing costs around the world?
regards,
Andrew
Originally from: lina
Hi Jane,
Thank you for the link, ill take a look.
I did not dismiss this information i simply stated
that the vaccine is already there and that the tests
are already there to. I was more surprised that they
would try to invent something they have already
invented again. That i would call a total waste of
money.
Lina
Originally from: Farmtalking
Yes you are right!
Both a vaccine and a test are already there and they are all we have at the moment but they are not good enough!
As was explained in the Press Release –
...Dr David Paton from the Institute for Animal Health says,c
"Currently available FMD vaccines can protect animals from becoming sick but not from becoming infected with the virus. In addition they require several days to confer protection.
“In five years we aim to deliver more effective FMD vaccines and sophisticated diagnostic tests which will ensure a longer duration of immunity and that vaccinated animals are not confused with infected animals.
Vaccination would then become a more acceptable option for control of an outbreak in traditionally disease-free areas, like Europe. This would mean that, instead of having to slaughter millions of animals simply because they are suspected of being infected, a vaccination program could be an alternative method of controlling the spread of the disease."
I hope you enjoy the link to Dr. Jeggo's address to the graduates. I think much of what he says is actually very relevant to the proposed research program and the sharing of info.
Originally from: Farmtalking
I agree with you Joyce except that I hope that 'the will to use what is available at any given time is what seems to be sadly lacking' is a phrase that can be changed to a past tense!
As our Govt has stated that vaccination will be a 'first choice option' and the EU has said the same or similar, we have to believe that they would use what's available now in the event of another outbreak. Albeit just to ring fence it.
My fervant hope is that FMD should never occur again but if it does I also hope it's not before we have a better vaccine and test!
Originally from: lina
--- ... wrote:
Yes you are right!Both a vaccine and a test are already there and they
are all we have at the moment but they are not good
enough!
Well i would have to say they are more then good
enough.
As was explained in the Press Release –...Dr David Paton from the Institute for Animal
Health says,c
"Currently available FMD vaccines can protect
animals from becoming sick but not from becoming
infected with the virus. In addition they require
several days to confer protection.
No this is not correct, the new developed vaccine can
protect the animals from becoming infected with the
virus. The only thing that has not yet been solved is
cross contamination, this is something they are yet
still unable to detect. This could happen when a
already contaminated animal is vaccinated.
“In five years we aim to deliver more effective FMD
vaccines and sophisticated diagnostic tests which
will ensure a longer duration of immunity and that
vaccinated animals are not confused with infected
animals.
This is something that can already be done, it has
been tested in several field operations, one in a
persistently infected African buffalo herd.
Vaccination would then become a more acceptable
option for control of an outbreak in traditionally
disease-free areas, like Europe. This would mean
that, instead of having to slaughter millions of
animals simply because they are suspected of being
infected, a vaccination program could be an
alternative method of controlling the spread of the
disease."
If there is only a suspicion of fmd there would/can be
no need to slaughter.
I hope you enjoy the link to Dr. Jeggo's address to
the graduates. I think much of what he says is
actually very relevant to the proposed research
program and the sharing of info.
I will take a look and see what it says. Most of the
research is done by:
Daniel T. Haydona, Armanda D. Bastosb, Nick J.
Knowles, and Alan R. Samuel
Of which Nick J Knowles and Alan R Samuel have written
several reports.
Also there have been a lot of DNA testing and research
done by:
Nick J. Knowles; Alan R. Samuel; Paul R. Davies; R.
Paul Kitching; R. Venkataramanan; Toru Kanno; Alexei
V. Scherbakov; Vladimir V.Drygin; Qi-Zu Zhao and
Qing-Ge Xie.
Originally from: Farmtalking
Hi Lina!
Author wrote:
--- ... wrote:
Yes you are right!Both a vaccine and a test are already there and they
are all we have at the moment but they are not good
enough!Well i would have to say they are more then good
enough.
O dear ! It seems then that you are at odds with Pirbright et al!
As was explained in the Press Release –...Dr David Paton from the Institute for Animal
Health says,c
"Currently available FMD vaccines can protect
animals from becoming sick but not from becoming
infected with the virus. In addition they require
several days to confer protection.No this is not correct, the new developed vaccine can
protect the animals from becoming infected with the
virus.
I see – well if that is so it's great news! – can you post a link to info that gives us more details?
The only thing that has not yet been solved is
cross contamination, this is something they are yet
still unable to detect. This could happen when a
already contaminated animal is vaccinated.
I had understood that an already contaminated animal would not be a problem if vaccinated. Have I got it wrong?
“In five years we aim to deliver more effective FMD
vaccines and sophisticated diagnostic tests which
will ensure a longer duration of immunity and that
vaccinated animals are not confused with infected
animals.
This is something that can already be done, it has
been tested in several field operations, one in a
persistently infected African buffalo herd.
I had also understood that persistantly infected livestock were not a problem as it seems they don't emit enough virus to infect others – Have I got that wrong too?
Vaccination would then become a more acceptable
option for control of an outbreak in traditionally
disease-free areas, like Europe. This would mean
that, instead of having to slaughter millions of
animals simply because they are suspected of being
infected, a vaccination program could be an
alternative method of controlling the spread of the
disease."If there is only a suspicion of fmd there would/can be
no need to slaughter.
Why not?
In fact, at present, since the amended Animal Health Act, our Govt has powers to slauhter if the Minister 'suspects' FMD.
I hope you enjoy the link to Dr. Jeggo's address to
the graduates. I think much of what he says is
actually very relevant to the proposed research
program and the sharing of info.I will take a look and see what it says. Most of the
research is done by:
Daniel T. Haydona, Armanda D. Bastosb, Nick J.
Knowles, and Alan R. Samuel
Of which Nick J Knowles and Alan R Samuel have written
several reports.
Also there have been a lot of DNA testing and research
done by:
Nick J. Knowles; Alan R. Samuel; Paul R. Davies; R.
Paul Kitching; R. Venkataramanan; Toru Kanno; Alexei
V. Scherbakov; Vladimir V.Drygin; Qi-Zu Zhao and
Qing-Ge Xie.
Perhaps you would be kind enough to post a link to the scientific papers that explain this further?
Best wishes – Jane
Originally from: Burkie
Dear Jane: Or – maybe, just maybe, the IAH was too busy working with vaccination programs to protect the interests of the Vestey Cattle Empire in Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina.
Where millions of doses of vaccine was developed and still being used....sure didn't affect their beef export market....but then Vestey has them slaughtered in their own plants, shipped on the ships they used to own ....and no one said one thing about that!
Burkie
Originally from: Burkie
Dear Jane: You know it really bothers me that the people at Pirbright, like this Dr. Payton and Dr. Trevor Drew can't just go out and give the Public the truth or any decent information on just what the status of FMD vaccines are...what they were.....or what they are trying to do for the future.
Their "Quietus is Dis-Quieting." That's just one more reason I am still hanging around.
RT-PCR's were made available to be used in 2001, and they refused to use them. That bothers me to this day.
Burkie in Kansas
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