Control of tuberculosis in animals through vaccines and multi-species diagnoses

 

The overall objective of the WILDTBVac project is to take the results of the TB-STEP project - Strategies for the eradication of bovine tuberculosis, funded under FP7-KBBE-2007 with project number 212414, where most of the WildTBVac partners were involved, and build a pre-commercial set of TB control solutions by means of testing the technical and economical viability of the aforementioned integrated approach.

Recent studies have showed estimations of worldwide 50 million cattle infections with Mycobacterium bovis, at a cost to the agricultural community of 2-3 billion € per year. In developing countries, M. bovis infection is still widespread, in both cattle and humans. Even in developed countries, successful eradication of disease from livestock is hampered by the presence of wildlife reservoirs of M. bovis. Under these circumstances, a single case of a reportable disease in livestock can result in serious economic consequences for the producer, public, and governments. Within this scenario, there is room and clear business opportunities for integrated control products or solutions that aim at addressing what is considered a global problem, animal tuberculosis.


The objectives of the WILDTBVac project are:

1. To standardise and optimise the production of a vaccine against TB (prototype result from the TB-STEP project)
2. To evaluate various diagnostic strategies compatible with vaccination (also the result of the TB-STEP project) that will include multi-species DIVA (differentiating infection in vaccinated animals) tests (swine, cattle).
3. To evaluate the efficiency in the field of integrated TB control strategies, including the oral vaccination to control TB in wild boar.
4. To evaluate the efficiency in the field of integrated TB control strategies, including the oral vaccination to control TB in domestic and wild pigs.
5. To define the operational and marketing strategy, including guidelines for technology transfer and the development of market-oriented business. Sabiotec is involved in this objective.


WILDTBVac project is funded under FP7-KBBE-2013-613799