BAU Advances Low-Cost Duck Plague Vaccine

Researchers at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) have reported significant progress in developing a low-cost duck plague vaccine using a locally isolated duck plague virus. The DNA and oral vaccine candidates have shown promising results and are now awaiting field trials.

The findings were presented at the concluding workshop of the research project held at the university's Microbiology Gallery with financial support from the Livestock and Dairy Development Project (LDDP).

Professor Dr. Md. Bahanur Rahman, the project's principal investigator, said duck plague is a highly contagious viral disease with a mortality rate ranging from 40 to 100 percent. Although the research initially focused on developing an attenuated vaccine, additional studies on inactivated and DNA vaccines were conducted at the request of the Department of Livestock Services (DLS).

He said the inactivated vaccine did not produce the expected outcome, but the DNA and oral vaccine candidates demonstrated encouraging results. The vaccine is now awaiting field evaluation and could be available to farmers within one to one-and-a-half years after completing the necessary regulatory procedures.

Professor Dr. Md. Samsul Alam, Coordinator of the Committee for Advanced Studies and Research (CASR), said vaccination remains the most effective strategy against duck plague because treatment options are limited once birds become infected.

Researchers believe the locally developed vaccine could provide more than 90 percent protection, reduce dependence on imported vaccines, lower production costs for farmers and strengthen Bangladesh's duck farming industry.

//DBTech/Arafat Hossen/SME//