A Vaccine for Cattle?

Join us

Protect local wildlife

Most of the scientific work necessary for a possible cattle bTB vaccine has been done, but before it can be used EU regulations have to be changed.

Before a Marketing Authorisation can be issued, the current EU rules will need to be replaced or substantially amended to allow the use of vaccines against TB in cattle. According to the European Commission, the current prohibition is mainly due to the interference with the only official test (skin test) and the suboptimal effectiveness of existing vaccines. The Commission has stated that if a candidate vaccine succeeds in showing scientifically sufficient protection and no interference with diagnostic tests, this vaccine might be an additional tool to accelerate bovine TB eradication under certain circumstances.

Simply put, a test needs to differentiate reliably between cattle which has been vaccinated and that which is infected with TB, something which the current test cannot. The newly developed DIVA test can achieve this, but in order to allow a different test to be used and enable continued trade with the EU the following regulations have to change.

Policy Framework

  • Directive 78/52/EEC 1977 – prohibits cattle vaccination within national bTB eradication plans; this requires amendment before a cattle vaccine could be tested and licensed as a UK veterinary medicine
  • Directive 64/432/EEC – requires amendment to facilitate trade in live cattle tested with an alternative or ancillary bTB skin test (DIVA Differentiate Infected from Vaccinated Animals)*
  • Regulation (EC) 853/2004 – a DIVA test could be sufficient to permit trade in raw milk and colostrum
  • Regulation (EC) 854/2004 – human food of animal origin - it is possible that this regulation will not require amendment if trade directive (EC) 64/432 is amended
*As well as work on the development of an effective vaccine, to address the problem of interference with diagnostic tests, the Government has been investing in the development of a test to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals (the ‘DIVA’ test) for some time. Evidence to support international validation of the DIVA test will be submitted to the OIE (the international animal health standards organisation) in the summer of next year. This is an independent certification that should be acceptable as evidence of the efficacy of the test.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust actions

  1. We have visited Brussels and spoken with Julie Girling MEP
  2. We have a meeting planned with Martin Horwood MP and Sir Graham Watson MEP
  3. We have contacted Mairead McGuiness MEP, an Irish member of the EC Agriculture Committee representing Ireland
  4. We have begun discussions with officials within the EC AGRI Directorate

What we want

The Trust is asking that the EU amends the relevant Directorates and Regulations to enable the development and use of a bTB vaccine in cattle

 

Dr Gordon McGlone
Chief Executive
December 16th 2011