🔗 Share this article Vaccine Breakthrough for Lethal Elephant Viral Disease Chester Zoo has lost seven baby elephants to the illness caused by the virus Researchers have made a major advance in creating a new vaccine to prevent a fatal virus that targets juvenile elephants. The inoculation, developed by an global research team, aims to prevent the serious illness caused by EEHV, which is presently a leading cause of death in young Asian elephants. The study included elephants at a prominent zoo In tests that involved mature elephants at Chester Zoo, the vaccine was found to be harmless and, importantly, to activate part of the immune system that assists in combating viruses. Prof Falko Steinbach described this as "a landmark moment in our efforts to protect Asian elephants". It is hoped that the outcome of this pioneering study will open the door to preventing the fatalities of juvenile elephants from the harmful disease caused by this virus. Devastating Impact EEHV has had a especially devastating impact in captive environments. At one facility by itself, multiple baby elephants have succumbed to it over the last decade. It has additionally been found in natural populations and in some refuges and care centers. It causes a bleeding disorder - unchecked bleeding that can be fatal within 24 hours. It results in death in more than 80% of instances in juvenile elephants. The next step is to test the new vaccine in more vulnerable elephants Understanding the Threat Why EEHV can be so lethal is remains unknown. Numerous mature elephants host the virus - seemingly with no negative impact on their well-being. But it is thought that juvenile elephants are especially susceptible when they are being transitioned from milk, and when the immune-boosting defenses from the maternal nutrition decline. At this stage, a calf's natural defenses is in a precarious balance and it can become overpowered. "It may lead to extremely serious disease," Dr Katie Edwards stated. "It impacts elephants in nature, but we lack an precise count of how many fatalities in total it has caused. For elephants in human care though, there have been more than 100 deaths." Vaccine Development The researchers hope the vaccine will ultimately be employed to protect elephants in their native habitat The research team, headed by veterinary scientists, created the new vaccine using a proven "scaffold". Basically, the basic structure of this vaccine is the same to one commonly employed to vaccinate elephants against a virus called a related virus. The scientists incorporated this vaccine structure with proteins from EEHV - non-infectious bits of the virus that the animal's defense system might identify and react against. In a world-first experiment, the team evaluated the novel vaccine in three healthy, mature elephants at Chester Zoo, then examined blood tests from the innoculated animals. Prof Steinbach commented that the results, released in a scientific journal, were "more successful than anticipated". "They showed, unequivocally that the vaccine was effective to activate the production of T cells, that are vital to fighting viral infections." Future Steps The next step for the scientists is to try the vaccine in more juvenile elephants, which are the creatures most vulnerable to severe illness. The goal is to create a vaccine that can be transported and kept where it is required The current immunization involves four shots to be administered, so an additional objective is to determine if the equivalent protective dose can be given in a simpler way - perhaps with less jabs. The conservation scientist clarified: "In the end we aim to employ this vaccine in the elephants that are in danger, so we want to make sure that we can get it to where it's needed." Prof Steinbach continued: "We believe this is a major advancement, and not just only for the elephants, but because it additionally shows that you can develop and apply vaccines to assist endangered species."