Scientific and Technical Partnerships in Africa: Technologies, Platforms, and Partnerships in support of the African agricultural science agenda, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, April 4&5, 2017

1. Pestes des Petit Ruminants
Thermostable Vaccine
Technologies, Platforms and Partnerships in support of the African agricultural science agenda
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire / April 4 and 5, 2017
Edward Okoth
Biosciences east and central Africa -
International Livestock Research Institute

2. Pestes des Petit Ruminants
 Frequent outbreaks in
most parts of Africa
 In 2011, 25 countries
officially reported the
disease to AU-IBAR with
total 1666 outbreaks
 Most destructive disease
of small ruminants
 Caused by a Morbillivirus
in the same family as
rinderpest virus

3. • PPR result in heavy production losses (high
morbidity and mortalities) and reduces access to
markets by poor farmers
• Continued spread of the disease threatens the
livelihoods of even more poor smallholder farmers
and the rural livestock keepers
• Small ruminants support livelihoods of many of the
poorer households in Africa, especially in marginal
areas
• Between 3‐4 million sheep and goats are exported
from the Horn of Africa every year
The problem

4. The need
 PPR spread across Africa
 Robust tools for PPR control
 Pan-African strategy for the
control of PPR (AU-IBAR, ILRI,
FAO, OIE, member states)
identified need for a thermostable
vaccine
 Approx. 400 M shoats (67% of
world population) need protection
 Increase small ruminants
productivity

5. Solution for PPR control
 Strategic BecA - ILRI research partnerships with
AU-IBAR with funding from Australia addressed
the need - proof of concept for a thermostable
vaccine against PPR
 The product developed has ability to withstand
ambient temperature, long transport periods and
long shelf (storage) life

6. Solution for PPR control
 Vaccine product
stability done
through
lyophilization

7.  Vaccine developed using
an attenuated African
strain (Nigeria 75/1)
under laboratory
conditions
 Vaccine suitable for use
for up to 30 days under
ambient temperature
Success to date

8.  Reduced costs - no cold chains needed
 Reduce logistical costs in control programs
 Access to more remote rural herds possible –
means more markets and more business
 Will be important in later stages of disease
eradication because allows rapid response in
remote areas and in sporadic outbreaks (based
on experience from rinderpest eradication)
Advantages

9.  Pilot vaccine production using BecA-ILRI
protocol at the Botswana Vaccine Institute
 In vivo testing of the thermostable vaccine to
compare correlates of immunity with those of
the live attenuated vaccine
 Pilot field testing of the thermostable vaccine
Next steps

10.  Disseminate the freeze drying technology to
vaccine production laboratories across
Africa
 Scale out production and commercialization
 Engage public and private sector to support
dissemination and progressive control of
PPR
 Control PPR in Africa and globally
Next steps

11. Thanks