The first vaccine against bluetongue virus type 3 (BTV3) has been approved by outgoing Agriculture Minister Piet Adema. 1 million doses of the vaccine will be available within a few days to a week and another 1 million doses two weeks later. Animal welfare problems due to outbreaks of BTV3 can thus be prevented.
The vaccine, produced by the Spanish pharmaceutical company Syva, has been approved for use under an accelerated procedure. The Veterinary Medicines Bureau of the Agency’s Medicines Evaluation Board (aCGB) and the Board for the Admission of Veterinary Medicines have given positive advice about the authorisation.
Adema: ‘The past period has been terrible for both the animals infected with the bluetongue virus and the keepers of these animals. I am pleased with the hard work done by all parties involved, which has enabled us to have a safe vaccine available in such a short time, partly due to accelerated admission. Vets are now starting vaccinations as soon as possible, so that the animals and keepers can hopefully have a quiet summer.’
Expedited review
At the request of the minister, an accelerated assessment of the vaccine was used so that it could become available for the Dutch market as quickly as possible. Approval for the use of the vaccine will only be given once sufficient information is available about its efficacy, safety and quality.
Syva tested the effectiveness of the vaccine on an animal model funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and developed by Wageningen Bioveterinary Research. Due to good coordination between the pharmaceutical company, the Veterinary Medicines Bureau of the aCGB, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research and the ministry, a vaccine is available in a short time.
1 million vaccine doses are expected to be available within days to a week. Another batch of 1 million vaccine doses is expected to follow two weeks later. The vaccines are supplied to wholesalers. Vets can buy the vaccines there and then schedule an appointment with the animal keepers for vaccination.
The vaccine is available for both sheep and cattle. There are around 1 million sheep in the Netherlands for which one dose of vaccine is required per sheep. Cattle must be vaccinated twice, several weeks apart, before they are optimally protected. This means that within a few weeks there will be enough vaccines available to vaccinate all sheep and a large proportion of cattle.
Vaccination strategy
The sector has drawn up a strategy to distribute the vaccines, partly based on the advice of the Animal Diseases Expert Group. The hope is that sufficient vaccination will be possible in the coming period to prevent major infections in the summer. The vaccinations are expected to start at the edges of the infected area and then move inwards.
Vaccination of sheep is especially necessary, because these animals show the most serious symptoms and the highest number of deaths. Vaccination of cattle is important because these are the preferred animals of the midges that spread bluetongue and also excrete the most virus. Vaccination of cattle therefore prevents further spread of bluetongue. Goats are the least affected by bluetongue and are largely kept indoors in an environment that is not preferred by midges.
It is expected that the Spanish pharmaceutical company will produce even more vaccine doses and that another vaccine will also come onto the market.
Tags: vaccine bluetongue approved
