Oral badger vaccine field trial
The Republic of Ireland has begun a field trial to help develop an oral tuberculosis (TB) vaccine for badgers.
The results will allow scientists in Ireland to improve the oral vaccine, to help prevent the spread of TB to cattle. The research is being conducted alongside New Zealand, who currently use the formulations in possums.
Trials involve trapping badgers, then anaesthetising and injecting them to swallow the vaccine in a formulation. Bait is currently not being used.
Glyn Hewinson, chief scientist at the AHVLA, said: "A number of formulations are under investigation; none of them are ready for use yet.
"Although [the trial] will give proof of principle over how the vaccine might work in that formulation, it doesn't say how effective it will be in a bait.
"There is progress," he added. "But these things take a lot of time."
Scientists from the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Food an Environment Research Agency (Fera) and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) are helping with the trial.
The results will assist scientists in developing the oral vaccine, so the Republic of Ireland can then apply for it to be licensed.
However, this is "still several years away", according to Prof Hewinson.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
