Background:
Camelpox is an infectious disease caused by the Camelpox virus [CMLV], an orthopox virus of the family Poxviridae. It is an important generalized infection of camels in Africa, the Middle East, and southwest Asia as the camels are used as beasts of burden, for milk and transport. The disease mostly affects young camels aged 2-3 years. The disease has limited public health significance. Disease occurrence is accompanied by morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates respectively of 30-90, 1-15, and 25% leading to reduced animal productivity and draught power. Camelpox in camels can be controlled by vaccination. The live and killed vaccines are used in some parts of the world for this purpose. However, the camelpox vaccine is not available in India. In this direction, a live Vero cell attenuated vaccine has been developed for the control of camelpox by the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) using an indigenous isolate of camelpox virus (CMLV 1/97) from a natural outbreak. Experimental studies have shown that the vaccine provides complete protection against high doses of virulent challenge virus. It causes no adverse reaction at a high dose with a wider safety margin, while it confers protection even at a low dose. The vaccine (0.5 ml volume containing a minimum of 3.0 log?? TCID??) is administered by intradermal route, on the abaxial surface of the tail in camels aged more than six months. The live camelpox vaccine developed has been proven to be safe and efficacious by in-house and limited field trials. The freeze-dried camelpox vaccine is stable and has a shelf-life of more than one year at 4°C. The developed vaccine has high demand from camel rearing belts of the country and has export potential. The patent has been granted for this vaccine technology with a patent no. 331663 dated 11/02/20:
Technology Details:
To solve the above problems, we have developed the Vero cell culture attenuated live camelpox Vaccine for the protection of camels against camelpox. The following are the solutions we offered:
a) The vaccine is expected to significantly bring down the incidence of the disease contributing eventually to the enhanced productivity and gradual control of the disease.:
b) The vaccine developed by IVRI is economical and effective in the control of the infection.:
c) It will improve the livelihood of poor farmers in India.:
d) This vaccine is expected to provide lifelong immunity in vaccinated animals.