Vaccine against Bluetongue

As a result of the global warming, diseases transmitted by arthropods have recently spread worldwide. Since 1998, nine serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV) have been introduced by this way in Europe, and one of them, BTV-8, has already spread to two thirds of the continent, including Scandinavia. In Europe, BTV-8 epidemics have strong negative impact on the animal welfare of sheep and cattle by causing morbidity and by already being responsible of more than 1.5 million deaths.

Vaccination against BT is essential for control of the disease since traditional biosecurity measures are ineffective. However, commercial vaccines have deficiencies that impede their use to limit BTV spread and eradication.

This is an international collaborative project with objective to develop a subunit BTV-8 vaccine with ISCOM as adjuvant (BT-ISCOM) that will enable differentiation of infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA). This vaccine will contain VP2, VP5 and NS1/2/3 proteins from BTV-8 produced in vitro and the DIVA test will be based on detection of VP7 antibodies.

The project outcomes will be primordial to develop a DIVA vaccine against several serotypes of BT and other Orbiviruses, and will have a high societal value for animal welfare.

Financier: Formas
Co-applicant: Sara Hägglund (SLU/KV)
Collaborator: Stephan Zientara (ANSES/France)