N.Z. firm develops leptospirosis vaccine

Press, 29 April 1981, Page 7

N.Z. firm develops leptospirosis vaccine

1 A Wellington A New Zealand company has developed a vaccine which has the potential to control one of this country’s main occupational diseases. Severe headaches, muscular pains, fever, and eye trouble are symptoms of leptospirosis. a disease which according to a 1979 Health Department, survey infects 400 New Zealanders each year. . Ironically, the disease has become a serious problem because of the modernisation of the New Zealand dairy industry. The elevated milking platforms found in modern dairysheds expose farmers and their families to infected cattle urine — the main source of human infection. The vaccine has been developed at the Upper Hutt laboratories of 1.C.1. Tasman. Ltd, after five years of intensive research and development. It is the first leptospirosis

vaccine for cattle active against the three main strains of the disease — pomona, Copenhagen!,, and hardjo. The company also believes that it is the first leptospirosis vaccine specifically developed to control the shedding of the disease organisms by infected cattle. These particular qualities have already resulted in a strong New’ Zealand demand for the vaccine, as well as a flood of inquiries from overseas.

While leptospirosis is a serious occupational hazard for people who live and work on dairy farms, the disease can also be costly in terms of animal production. The pomona and Copenhagen! strains of the disease can infect all livestock, but cattle are the area of greatest concern to New Zealand farmers.

Calves usually suffer severe illness, with deaths being common on many farms. Adult cows may suf-

fer miscarriages, stillbirths, fever, depression, and mastitis. 7 From a human health angle, the greatest worry is the hardjo.strain of the disease.. Cattle infected with hardjo do not show symptoms, but shed large quantities of disease organisms in their urine. “Used consistently the new vaccine will eliminate leptospirosis from a herd," said Mr David Liardet, the leader of the 1.C.1. Tasman research team. "In theory, it could eliminate the disease from New Zealand, but that would depend on all cattle farmers adopting a regular vaccination programme,” he said. "What we can realistically say is that leptospirosis need no longer be a worry to farmers who regularly vaccinate their cattle. With luck, that potential should be reflected in the health statistics almost immediately.”