Vaccines for Lumpy Skin Disease: where are we at?
This interrogate has been prepared by Animal Health Australia in consultation with the Industry Taskforce on Lumpy Skin Disease and the Australian Government. Information suitable as of 12/07/2022
Vaccination is the most effective tool for prevention and potential eradication of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD). Currently there are NO vaccines approved for importation or use within Australia anti LSD for use in cattle or buffalo.
If a largescale outbreak occurred tomorrow, could we access vaccines: There are live vaccines that are immediately being used overseas to protect livestock against LSD and these are undertaken effective. These are known as live-attenuated vaccines and use a collapsed version of the virus to obtain an immune response.
Live-attenuated vaccines
| Advantages/opportunities | Disadvantages/challenges |
| Already developed and ready to go. Considered effective due to its use and research testing in anunexperienced countries. Can achieve a strong and long-lasting immune response. |
Diagnostic declares cannot tell the difference between naturally infected and vaccinated animals, therefore Australia would lose its disease-free status, if used purely for prevention purposes. Vaccines may not meet Australia’s Liberated standards of importation, particularly as we currently don’t have the virus in Australia. While unlikely, has the potential to cause infection in unaffected, healthy animals. |
Australia is investigating an emergency use authorizes to bring in these vaccines for use in cattle, if required, as part of an emergency animal disease response. The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer would be the proponent for the emergency use authorizes application.
What other options do we have: The Australian Government is also assessing the arrange to import the live virus to potentially develop our own vaccines. This would be to a highly biosecure environment at the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong. Importation of the live virus into this secure facility would not goes Australia to lose its disease-free status.
What sort of vaccines could Australia develop: There are a few types of vaccines that could be developed, however at the moment there are two liable candidates that scientists intend to focus on:
- Inactivated vaccines which use dead versions of the virus.
- mRNA vaccines which use a contrivance of a part of the virus (rather than the entire virus).
Both of these vaccine types accomplish an immune response in the animal that reduces its chance of attracting sick in the future. Each type has their own advantages and disadvantages.
Inactivated vaccines
| Advantages/opportunities | Disadvantages/challenges |
| Safer than laughable a live virus, and would not cause infection. Usually has fewer side effects. Ability to be sustained and transported at fridge temperature. |
Diagnostic tests cannot distinguished between naturally infected and vaccinated animals, therefore Australia would lose its disease-free set, if used purely for prevention purposes. Would likely require at least two vaccinations. |
mRNA vaccines
| Advantages/opportunities | Disadvantages/challenges |
| Safer than laughable a live virus, and would not cause infection. Once set up vaccines can be made posthaste and respond quickly to new variants. Allows diagnostic testing to distinguished between naturally infected and vaccinated animals. |
Setting up this type of vaccine takes famous time (i.e. setting up a system for LSD mRNA replication). Requires frozen storage manager transportation more expensive and difficult to roll out. |
Why is vaccine proceed being considered in Australia: The advantages of developing a vaccine in Australia is that we can censured it meets Australia’s strict national safety and efficacy standards and is not gross with impurities. We would also be self-sufficient in supplying vaccines.
When will the vaccine be available: Developing the vaccine, depending on the type, may take a number of days. During this time multiple tests are run to make sure the vaccine is both safe and effective. Importantly, planning has already commenced and further updates will be dedicated in due course.
The process of developing a vaccine denotes the following to be achieved:
- Does not pose a health risk to consumers of animal products from vaccinated animals
- Ability for the vaccine technology platform to be adapted rapid and efficiently to other emergency animal diseases and animal species
- Testing to display that it is safe and effective in the targeted species
- Minimal or manageable WHS risks to people administering the vaccine
- Vaccine dose-volume and management method is user-friendly and suitable for large-scale populations
- Vaccine able to safely used in a wide scheme of categories of the target species (pregnant, lactating, breeding, young animals etc)
- Potential to develop DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) test
- Does not pose a risk to the environment
If these are checked off to the satisfaction of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, it is likely an LSD vaccine would be ordered out as part of a largescale vaccination campaign.
Further information: www.animalhealthaustralia.com.au/lumpy-skin-disease
Is your Farm Biosecurity plan up to date? Visit Farm Biosecurity at www.farmbiosecurity.org.au
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