Revolutionary mRNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease

A team of scientists in Germany has successfully developed and tested the first mRNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals. The announcement was made on Monday by the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, according to the DPA agency.

• From COVID-19 to animal protection

The new vaccine uses the same mRNA technology that was the basis for immunizations against COVID-19. Unlike traditional FMD vaccines, which require the production and inactivation of large quantities of live virus - a process carried out only under strict biosafety conditions - the mRNA method is based on fragments of the viral genetic code. These trigger an immune response without the need to manipulate the entire virus.

• Promising tests on large animals

The experiments were carried out in a high-security veterinary laboratory on the island of Riems in the Baltic Sea, near Greifswald. Twenty-four cows were exposed to the virus, 18 of which had previously been vaccinated with two doses of the mRNA vaccine. The results were clear: None of the vaccinated animals developed symptoms of the disease; The vaccinated animals shed much less virus than the unvaccinated ones; The spread of the disease could be completely blocked, the researchers say. This is the first successful test on large animals of an mRNA vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease.

• International collaboration and strategic interest

The project is being developed in partnership with companies in the United States and Australia. Australia is of great interest: the country has a billion-dollar livestock industry, but it prohibits the use of live virus on its territory. Thus, the mRNA-based vaccine represents a viable and safe alternative.

• A devastating disease for farms, but harmless to humans

Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the most contagious diseases of cloven-hoofed animals (cows, pigs, sheep, goats). Although it poses no risk to humans, it causes animal suffering and huge economic losses. In many cases, infected animals are slaughtered to stop the spread of the virus.

• Next step: approval and expanded testing

Researchers warn that more studies are needed to confirm the vaccine's effectiveness and safety before it can be approved and used widely. However, the results obtained so far offer hope for a radical change in the way farmers and veterinary authorities will be able to control future outbreaks.