Context:
Recently, the vaccine, named BIOLUMPIVAXIN, has received approval from India's drug regulatory authority, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
About the BIOLUMPIVAXIN
Developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), it is the world’s first vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle.
· The vaccine has undergone rigorous testing at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (ICAR-NRCE) in Hisar and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) to ensure its quality, safety, and effectiveness meet global standards.
· It is an indigenous live-attenuated marker vaccine, developed using the LSD virus/Ranchi/2019 strain from ICAR-NRCE, in collaboration with Bharat Biotech’s Biovet.
About Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)
Lumpy Skin Disease is a highly infectious viral disease affecting cattle, characterized by:
- Fever
- Swelling of the skin
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Reduced milk production
The disease has posed a major threat to the dairy industry, with outbreaks causing extensive economic damage. During the 2022 outbreak, the morbidity rate reached 80%, with case fatality rates as high as 67%. The disease is primarily spread by vector insects, such as mosquitoes and ticks.
Since its first outbreak in India in 2019, LSD has rapidly spread across multiple states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. It has led to a significant decline in milk production and financial losses totaling over ₹18,337 crore.
What Are Vaccines?
A vaccine is a biological preparation that helps the body develop immunity against a specific infectious disease. It contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, made from:
- A weakened or inactivated form of the microbe
- Its toxins
- Its surface proteins
When administered, the vaccine triggers an immune response, allowing the body to recognize and eliminate the pathogen if encountered in the future.
How Do Vaccines Work?
Vaccines train the immune system to recognize and fight specific pathogens (viruses or bacteria) without causing illness.
1. Initial Infection and Immune Response: When a virus or bacterium enters the body, it begins to multiply, causing an infection. The immune system takes time to recognize and fight it.
2. Creation of Memory Cells: Once the body successfully fights off the infection, the immune system retains “memory cells”, which remember the pathogen.
3. Faster Response Upon Future Exposure: If the body encounters the same pathogen again, the immune system quickly recognizes it and produces antibodies efficiently, preventing or reducing illness severity.
The approval of BIOLUMPIVAXIN marks a significant breakthrough in controlling LSD and protecting cattle health, ensuring stability in the dairy industry.
