The centre has allocated Rs 600 crore during the 11th Five Plan under the Disease Free Zone (DFZ) initiative programme. The DFZ, launched by the Union agriculture ministry’s department of Animal Husbandry six years ago focused on the control of Food and Mouth Disease (FMD). Now the government has announced its intention to expand the animal diseases control efforts to include Brucellosis which is affecting cattle in large numbers and Peste Des PetitsRuminants (PPR) Virus, a highly contagious viral disease in sheep.

Brucellosis is affecting bovine population across the country and has not received major attention so far. It is a silent disease and cattle in north India have considerably affected. Though its current prevalence is only 5 per cent in the animal population, the impact is huge for the farming community. It directly affects the economy of the farmers, since 74 per cent of population maintain livestock, which includes small, marginal farmers and landless labourers.

“Being a major supplier of the FMD vaccine under the DFZ programme, we are now gearing up to produce the vaccine using the Brucella abortus strain RB51. The vaccine manufactured under license from the US-basedVetTech (Veterinary Technologies Corporation) is among the new products slated for this fiscal,” KV Balasubramaniam, managing director, Indian Immunological Limited told Pharmabiz.

RB51 is a relatively new vaccine. It will be developed using the Brucella abortus strain. The advantages of RB51 are that it allows for differentiation of field infected animals from vaccinated animals, tolerant to multiple vaccinations and has a higher stability profile among others features. Even adult cattle can be vaccinated.

In India, there is need for systematic vaccination over a period of time to bring the disease under control although it cannot be eradicated. Brucella is highly contagious and humans can also be infected. There are several reports of veterinary doctors getting affected by the disease because it is transmitted through the mucous discharge.

Although the condition is not fatal in man it affects the reproductive system causing both sterility and abortions. The disease also has many similarities to Tuberculosis, stated the IIL chief.

So long Under the FDZ project for FMD was implemented in the 8 states of Haryana, Punjab, Western Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Andaman, Lakshadweep and Maharashtra. Since FMD is a trans border disease in cattle, the states were identified on the meat processing activities in the region. However the methodical vaccination drive implemented under FDZ resulted in a steep fall of the disease outbreak.

The government has now undertake constant surveillance, regular assessment of herd community to sample the sero protection. It has also passed a bill on control of cattle movement to prevent animal diseases. The next stage of DFZ will look at the southern peninsular for the vaccination.

For FMD vaccination, 50 million doses were ordered by the government. Until last year, Indian Immunologicals, subsidiary of National Dairy Development Board was a dedicated supplier of FMD vaccine for the DFZ programme. From this year, the government has mandated 60 per cent of the supplies from IIL and the balance from other companies.

The inclusion of Brucellosis and PPR under FDZ will see IIL supply substantial doses of RB51 and ‘Raksha PPR’ stated Balasubramaniam.