Improving vaccines for bovine respiratory disease
- Project No: 2023F281R
- Lead Researcher(s): Trevor Alexander (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)
- Collaborators: Rima Menassa, Nilusha Malmuthuge, Wenzhu Yang (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada); Timothy Olchowy (University of Calgary)
- Year Started: 2024
Background
BRD is a complex, multi-factorial disease that involves both bacteria and viruses. Often, these bacteria or viruses are already present in the respiratory tract, but only begin to cause disease once conditions are just right for them to proliferate in high numbers.
Despite improvements in feedlot herd health management, BRD continues to be a source of significant economic losses in the beef industry, estimated at $300 million per year in Canada. Previous research has seen high rates of colonization of Mannheimia haemolytica (MH), one of the key bacteria involved in BRD, even when animals had been previously vaccinated against BRD.
While commercial vaccines for bovine respiratory (BRD) have been used for many years, they generally provide what is called systemic immunity. This project builds on previous research attempting to develop a mucosal vaccine against MH.
Objectives
- Test the efficacy of a spore-based vaccine against MH, delivered intranasally or in-feed.
- Test the dosage and efficacy of a plant-based vaccine against MH, developed by incorporating protein nanoparticles with antigens into plants that are then fed to cattle.
Implications of the Research
This project is one in a series that is using novel technologies to produce an effective, easy to administer mucosal vaccine against MH, with the hopes that initial colonization may be reduced in addition to helping protect the lungs during active infections and reduce the incidence of BRD.
This project is also supported by RDAR.
