CHANDIGARH: Scientists of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana and University of Sydney, Australia have unveiled a ten-point plan to complement vaccination for brucellosis- a zoonotic disease transmissible between animals and humans. The disease results in decreased milk productivity by 30% and also causes infertility among animals and causes fever, weight loss, backache, and low appetite in human beings.
Researchers say, the disease causes loss of $US3.4 billion to the Indian livestock industry, affecting as it does, some 10 to 15% of 299.9 million bovine population across the country. Another $600 million is used in managing losses and in expenditure for diagnosis and treatment.Dr Navneet Dhand and Dr Balbir Singh Dhaliwal said that “Based on five years of research, we have developed an evidence-based vaccination and a ten-point action plan to combat the disease.”
The plan is to firstly vaccinate female calves, then upgrade veterinary infrastructure by ensuring that animal husbandry departments are able to maintain cold chain refrigeration to preserve live vaccine with training to animal handlers involved in appropriate use of the vaccine.’’There is the need to control stray cattle population also as many of them could be brucellosis positive and thus pose a risk to the domestic animal population.
The teams also found that lack of biosecurity is helping the spread of diseases between farms and hence an intensive campaign to educate farmers, labourers and consumers is to be taken up.
Medical practitioners and scientists are to be involved in the control program using a One Health approach to ensure non transmission of disease to animals and human population.