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Scientists develop novel bovine TB vaccine
The vaccine is the first to be compatible with a synthetic version of the tuberculin skin test.

Vaccine compatible with synthetic PPD skin test 

Researchers at the University of Surrey have produced a novel vaccine and complementary skin test to protect cattle against bovine Tb (bTB).

The vaccine, reported in the journal Scientific Reports, is the first to be compatible with a synthetic version of the tuberculin skin test (PPD), a test that is legally required in the UK for the surveillance of TB in cattle.

Researchers say the discovery could allow farmers and veterinary surgeons to protect their animals with the new BCG vaccine, while still maintaining a diagnostic test that will detect TB.

“In order to control the spread of bovine TB, effective vaccination and accurate early diagnosis of the disease are critical,” said Johnjoe McFadden, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Surrey.
“This new vaccine provides protection against bovine TB and will help in the fight against this deadly disease which infects over 50 million cattle worldwide and is economically devastating to farmers.”

The BCG vaccine is currently used to protect humans and is effective in cattle. However, it is incompatible with the PPD skin test.
Cattle that receive the BCG vaccine - which contains a harmless strain of Mycobacterium bovis - produce a positive PPD test that makes it impossible to tell if the animal has TB or has been vaccinated against the disease.

It is for this reason that the BCG vaccine is banned in most countries, meaning vets continue to use the PPD skin test to diagnose the disease in cattle.

In this latest study, researchers set out to create a new strain of the BCG vaccine that lacks some of the proteins shared with Mycobacterium bovis. They did this by injecting cows with BCG strains that had each lost a single gene and measured the survival rates.

By employing this method, the researchers were able to identify genes that could be removed from BCG, without compromising its ability to work as a live vaccine.

The team deleted the dispensable genes from the BCG chromosome to make a BCG-minus strain. The deleted proteins were then used to develop a new synthetic skin test that would be positive for animals exposed to TB, but negative for animals vaccinated against the BCG-minus strain.

Subsequent tests of the synthetic PPD test on guinea pigs revealed that those infected with TB tested positive for the disease. Guinea pigs vaccinated with the BCG-minus vaccine, however, did not.

“The next stage of our work will be to demonstrate that both synthetic skin test and BCG-minus vaccine works in cattle herds,” professor McFadden continued. “If they do, then it will be possible to vaccinate cattle against TB yet retain the value of skin test for diagnosis.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.