BY CATHERINE MUCHIRI A NEW vaccine for the deadly cattle disease, Theileriosis popularly known as the January Disease has been developed by the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS).
This is a major breakthrough as Zimbabwe can now produce a vaccine for one of the deadliest tick-borne diseases in the country.
There are four major tick-borne diseases in Zimbabwe namely Anaplasmosis (Gallsickness), Babesiosis (Redwater), Theileriosis (January Disease) and Heartwater.
Vaccination or immunisation using Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Theileriosis vaccines has been an important component of the Integrated Ticks and Tick-borne Disease Control Strategy (ITTBDCS). The other components of the strategy include dipping and acaricide resistance monitoring.
“DVS has been processing Anaplasmosis and Babesiosis vaccines but had no capacity to produce Theileriosis (BOLVAC). After receiving financial support from the government and development partners DVS managed to produce the first batch of 20 460 doses of Theileriosis (BOLVAC) vaccine on August 20, 2022.
“This is a major breakthrough because Zimbabwe can now produce vaccines against three out of four major TBD prevalent in Zimbabwe. With such capacity the country is now ready to roll-out its Integrated Ticks and Tick-borne Disease Control Strategy,” DVS said in a statement.
DVS chief director Josphat Nyika in an interview with NewsDay said the initial 20 000 doses produced signified a successful commercial breakthrough after several years of hard work.
“The next step is to upscale production to hundreds of thousands of doses to cater for local demand. The 20 000 doses are ready for the market and will be available at various outlets,” he said.
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According to the First Round Crop and Livestock assessment conducted by the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development ministry for the 2021/22 agricultural season, the four tick borne diseases contribute 73% of total cattle mortalities with 18 000 cattle deaths recorded in 2021 and 64 086 cattle mortalities in 2020.
The areas worst affected by theileriosis include Goromonzi, Chivhu, Bindura, Buhera, Hwedza, Gutu and Mhondoro-Ngezi among the 25 districts recording tick diseases in the country.
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