NUWE ENTSTOF BESKERM BEESTE TEEN DODELIKE BOSLUISOORDRAAGBARE SIEKTES
Navorsers van die Universiteit van Missouri werk daaraan om die eerste entstof ooit te ontwikkel wat beeste kan beskerm teen ‘n verwoestende bosluisoorgedraagde beessiekte, beesanaplasmose.
Beesanaplasmose besmet die rooibloedselle van beeste en veroorsaak jaarliks honderde miljoene dollars se ekonomiese verliese in Missouri en byna $1 miljard se verliese wêreldwyd, hoofsaaklik as gevolg van laer beesproduksie, mediese onkostes om beeste te behandel, en vrektes.
Roman Ganta van die Universiteit van Missouri was die leier van die studie wat die nuwe entstof geskep het. Die werk behels die genetiese modifikasie van die patogeen Anaplasma marginale – wat beesanaplasmose veroorsaak – in ‘n laboratorium. Deur ‘n spesifieke geen te skrap en beeste dan met die gemodifiseerde patogeen in te spuit, lei daartoe dat die ingeënte beeste suksesvol teen die siekte geïmmuniseer is.
NEW VACCINE PROTECTS CATTLE FROM DEADLY TICK-BORNE DISEASE
University of Missouri researchers are working to develop the first-ever vaccine proven to protect cattle from a devastating tick-borne cattle disease known as bovine anaplasmosis.
Bovine anaplasmosis infects the red blood cells of cattle and causes hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses nationwide each year and nearly $1 billion in losses worldwide, primarily due to reduced cattle production, treatment costs and deaths.
Roman Ganta from the University of Missouri led the study that created the new vaccine. The work involved genetically modifying the pathogen Ana plasma marginalia — which causes bovine anaplasmosis — in a lab. By deleting a specific gene and then injecting the modified pathogen into cattle, the vaccinated cattle were successfully immunised against the disease.