Researchers have announced a significant advancement in the development of a novel vaccine designed to protect young elephants from a deadly virus.
The vaccine, the result of collaborative efforts by an international research team, targets elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), a leading cause of mortality in young Asian elephants.
Trials conducted at Chester Zoo, involving adult elephants, demonstrated the vaccine’s safety and, importantly, its ability to stimulate a key part of the immune system responsible for fighting viral infections.
Prof. Falko Steinbach, from the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the University of Surrey, described the development as “a landmark moment in our work to protect Asian elephants.”
The successful outcome of this pioneering trial is expected to pave the way for preventing deaths in young elephants caused by the dangerous EEHV virus.
EEHV has had a particularly devastating impact in zoos, with seven baby elephants at Chester Zoo alone succumbing to the virus in the past decade. It has also been detected in wild elephant populations, as well as in some sanctuaries and orphanages.
The virus causes a haemorrhagic disease, characterized by uncontrolled bleeding, which can be fatal within 24 hours and results in death in over 80% of juvenile elephant cases.
The reason for EEHV’s severity remains unclear. While many adult elephants carry the virus without apparent health consequences, young calves are believed to be especially vulnerable during weaning, when protective antibodies from their mother’s milk decline.
At this vulnerable stage, a calf’s immune system is in a delicate balance, making it susceptible to being overwhelmed. “It can cause really severe disease,” Dr. Katie Edwards, lead conservation scientist at Chester Zoo, told BBC News.
“It does affect wild elephants, but we don’t have an exact number of how many deaths in total it has caused. For elephants in human care [in zoos and sanctuaries] though, there have been more than 100 deaths.”
The research team, led by veterinary scientists at the University of Surrey and the APHA, utilized a proven “scaffold” to develop the new vaccine. The core structure is based on a vaccine routinely used to immunize elephants against cowpox.
Scientists introduced proteins from EEHV, specifically non-infectious components, into the vaccine structure, enabling the elephant’s immune system to recognize and respond to the virus.
In a groundbreaking trial, the team tested the new vaccine in three healthy adult elephants at Chester Zoo, analyzing blood samples post-inoculation.
Prof. Steinbach informed BBC News that the results, published in the journal Nature Communications, were “better than we had hoped for.”
“They showed, unequivocally that the vaccine was able to stimulate the production of [immune cells called] T cells, that are crucial to fighting viral infections.”
The next phase for the scientists involves testing the vaccine in younger elephants, the most vulnerable demographic.
The current vaccination protocol requires four injections. Therefore, researchers aim to determine if the same level of protection can be achieved with a simplified approach, potentially involving fewer injections.
Dr. Edwards explained: “Ultimately we want to use this vaccine in the elephants that are at risk, so we want to make sure that we can get it to where it’s needed.”
Prof. Steinbach concluded: “We think this is a significant step forward, and not necessarily only for the elephants, but because it also shows that you can design and apply vaccines to help endangered species.”
A product resembling normal flooring with “materials and systems hidden beneath” is being developed.
Work is ongoing to clear Yorkshire’s rivers of barriers that prevent fish from moving freely.
Scottish government says it’s investigating but concerned locals fear enormous damage has been caused
People moved carp into the boating lake on Southampton Common while there was a drought.
The Euclid satellite, launched by Space X, was developed by a team including Professor Adam Amara.