Bovine TB Vaccine Trials Enter Next Phase: A Step Towards Eradication
The quest to eradicate bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle has taken a significant leap forward with the commencement of phase 3 of field trials across England and Wales. This phase aims to provide crucial data to guide the deployment of a potential vaccine, a pivotal tool in the battle against this challenging disease.
The trials, led by the Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA), involve commercial livestock farms in the Low-Risk Area of England and the Low TB Area of Wales. The focus is on a cattle vaccine and a companion skin test, the DIVA test, designed to protect individual animals and prevent transmission within herds and populations.
Bovine TB poses a formidable challenge, costing the English farming industry alone around £100 million annually and an estimated £50 million more across the wider sector. In the 2023/24 period, over 60,000 cattle were slaughtered in England and Wales to control the disease. The trials, set to conclude in 2026, will involve at least 10 farms with 750 animals, all receiving the CattleBCG vaccine and the DIVA skin test.
Dr. Camille Szmaragd Harrison, the lead scientist for TB at APHA, emphasizes the importance of this phase: "The first two phases demonstrated the vaccine and skin test's safety. This phase aims to provide essential data for their effective deployment in England and Wales' eradication strategies."
The success of this phase is a collective effort, with gratitude extending to the hundreds of farmers who expressed interest in participating. UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss highlights the UK's leadership in TB vaccine development, attributing it to world-class scientists and the dedication of vets and farmers.
If successful, the vaccine, when used alongside other measures, could significantly reduce the need for culling, saving thousands of cattle annually. The UK government's commitment to eradicating TB by 2038 makes a deployable vaccine a crucial milestone. The trials, including earlier phases, represent a significant step towards this ambitious goal.
The APHA will utilize the trial data to support applications for GB Marketing Authorizations for both BCG use in cattle and the DIVA skin test. The combination of the CattleBCG vaccine and the DIVA skin test is expected to be deployable in the coming years, offering a promising solution to the global challenge of bovine TB.
