Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has demanded the development of a vaccine for brucellosis, a disease responsible for abortion in cattle. Professor of Veterinary Faculty of Microbiology and Hygiene Department. Md. Ariful Islam and his team of researchers developed this vaccine. The research team commented that this vaccine was invented by considering the low-cost vaccine supply to farmers and public health. The remaining members of the research team are professors of the same department. Deleted. Minara Khatun, Gana University Poultry Science Department Lecturer. Jaminur Rahman Bakribi’s postgraduate student. Raisul Islam, Graduate students Nahiduzzaman and Arnab Saha.

The study was funded by the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences-United States Department of Agriculture (BAS-USDA) and was conducted for the period 2020-23.
Professor Dr. Mo. Ariful Islam is the head of the research team.

Professor Dr. Brucellosis disease. Md. Ariful Islam said, if cows, goats and sheep infected with brucellosis get pregnant, they may have an abortion. Abortion usually occurs after 6 months of pregnancy. As a result, the farmer also loses the calf and the milk production of the cow decreases. Brucellosis is a very important disease in the context of Bangladesh Which is caused by Brucella bacteria. About 5-6 percent of cattle in the country are affected by this disease. Even if the animal does not die, the farmers have to face a lot of financial loss.

Professor Dr. asked to know the purpose of making Brucellosis vaccine. Md. Ariful Haque said, according to the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (WoAH), animals infected with brucellosis should be killed and buried or burned. Although this directive is followed in different countries of the world, it becomes very difficult to follow it in Bangladesh. Because compensation is given in other countries, even if there is a system in Bangladesh, it is still enforced.

Although there are many foreign vaccines, the professor said about the purpose of making this vaccine, there are many differences in the geographical location of each microorganism on which the effectiveness of the vaccine is based. Therefore, the vaccine has been developed by researching local microbes in the context of Bangladesh. In other words, we developed this vaccine by considering the low-cost vaccine supply to farmers and public health. About the research method of making the vaccine, the professor said, we have made the vaccine through clinical and field trials.

In clinical trials, we used the vaccine in white mice, a lab animal. The mice were divided into two groups. One vaccine group another control group. Mice in the vaccine group were vaccinated and not in the control. They are then routinely inoculated with our own identified Brucella bacteria. Later re-infection with a booster dose showed that the vaccine group did not develop symptoms but the control group did. That is, the efficacy of the vaccine has been proven.

We applied the vaccine to the body of about 400 cows in Mymensingh, Gazipur and Tangail for field trial and later through the antibody test of those cows we can determine that the vaccine developed against brucellosis is effective enough. The field trial of the vaccine lasted for about 1 year. About the vaccine, Professor Ariful said, in the context of Bangladesh, the excess of Brucella abortus is seen more. The vaccine developed against the biovar-3 of Brucella abortus is the most effective. But it will also protect against other biovars due to antigenic similarity. Our developed vaccine belongs to dead vaccine. A booster dose of the vaccine should be given every six months.

When asked why dead vaccine was taken instead of live vaccine and whether the vaccine has any side effects, Professor Ariful said that vaccines are of two types: live vaccine, dead vaccine. In a live vaccine, the microorganism is alive and weakened, but in a dead vaccine, the microorganism is dead but antibodies are present.

Live vaccines have numerous side effects, such as: If the injection needle is not properly punctured during vaccination, the live bacteria can come into contact with humans and other animals and cause disease. Can cause abortion, cold chain is needed to store live vaccine later that’s why we take dead vaccine. No side effects were found in our vaccine.

Professor Dr. about the cost. Md. Ariful Islam said, vaccine formula is ready but not commercially produced. However, with adequate funding and government support, commercial production may be possible. Also, if any individual or organization wants it, we can manufacture the vaccine and supply it to them. The vaccine will cost only 50 to 100 rupees per cattle. Due to low cost of production, cheap raw materials and low technical cost, the vaccine can be made at such a low price.