The (neglected) ties binding human and animal health

ILRI animal health staff, carry out famacha on a study cow of the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project (photo credit: BMGF/Lee Klejtnot).

“Animal diseases make up 60 per cent of all human pathogens and have a significant impact on poverty. Yet for many years, the worst diseases were sorely neglected by the international community. Eric Fevre describes how this turned around, and what researchers are now doing to tackle it.

‘In the far west of rural Kenya, close to the border with Uganda, livestock keepers struggle with poverty, food security, and a considerable burden of both animal and human disease. Ninety-five percent of the population of this region, sandwiched between Lake Victoria and Mt Elgon, are smallholders – growers of crops and keepers and small herds of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens. The animals people keep are the backbone of their domestic stability – providing essential food and nutrition, but also serve as an investment, cashed in when the need for funds arises, which is often to pay for heathcare or school fees. And it is for these reasons that diseases linked to animals are devastating for such communities.

The ‘Neglected Zoonotic Diseases’ (NZDs) include rabies, zoonotic Human African Trypanosomiasis, brucellosis, anthrax, q-fever, Rift Valley Fever, cysticercosis, leptospirosis, bovine tuberculosis, leishmaniasis and several others. They are defined as a group of endemic, lingering diseases, originating from an animal source, mostly affecting poor communities in slums and remote rural areas of the developing world.

NZDs are grossly under-reported so their impact is almost invisible in national statistics. As they have little effect on trade or international travel they are paid very limited attention by national governments or the international community, despite the profound effect on those living in endemic areas.

Zoonoses constitute approximately 60 per cent of all human pathogens, and some – such as avian influenza – receive tremendous amounts of international attention and funding. Others tend to cause chronic pathologies or long-lasting outbreaks, in areas such as Western Kenya, where the levels of poverty and the lack of political voice by those affected means that they do not get the attention that they probably deserve….’

Read the whole article in the wellcome trust blog, 21 Feb 2012: The (neglected) ties binding human and animal health

 

Sheila Ommeh, her journey through agricultural research and passion for chicken research

Sheila Ommeh is one of the few scientists who are devoted chicken research, in this interview, we connect the dots from the moment her initial curiosity on agricultural research was stirred to her current research highlights.

Q: Have you always wanted to be a scientist?

SO: Yes, my curiosity started in the early 1990s when I was still in secondary school and I found myself reading a lot about genetic engineering and cloning in the school’s library. Stories about Esther Kahangi, the current Deputy Vice Chancellor at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya, work on tissue culture biotechnology development and other similar ones fascinated and inspired me so much that I looked forward to the day when I would be working in a laboratory doing similar stuff.

Where did your interest in agriculture begin?

After my undergraduate degree in biomedical science and technology in 2002 from Egerton University, I started working as a research technician at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)-Wellcome Trust research institute in Nairobi, it was here that I realised that there was a lot of research focusing on human diseases and little on animal diseases. I resolved to work on animal research and resigned from that position to start looking for livestock related opportunities in various institutions that were researching on livestock. I eventually found an opportunity at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in late 2004, by this time I had also enrolled for my MSc in Biotechnology at Kenyatta University.

When did your mission on chicken begin?

When I joined ILRI, my supervisor at that time, Olivier Hanotte gave me the options of choosing from among three different projects, one on goats, one on cattle and the other on chicken function diversity that he was working on. I was drawn to the chicken one, a decision that up to today I am very proud of. Being, also from Western Kenya, a part of the country where people are well-known for their love for chicken meat, this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass! Since that time, I started reading widely about chicken genetics and set my mind to pursue further studies on chicken population genomics.

Your area of research is on a topic that few scientist are working on, what are some of the challenges you faced while carrying out your research work?

While chicken maybe a small livestock, most people wrongly assume that its potential is equally small, consequently the investment towards this research area has been very limited. In addition, very little research on indigenous chicken genome characterization is available, something I realised when I was carrying out my PhD studies on chicken genomics.  In 2009/2010 while on a 1-year African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) placement in Italy acquiring laboratory skills, I also found out that a lot of emphasis was on commercial chickens neglecting indigenous chickens that are important livestock in many rural households in many developing countries. After the fellowship I came back home to apply the skills that I had learned on indigenous chicken and I was lucky that I got a lot support from various people at ILRI to do this.

You recently successfully defended your PhD what are some of the findings that you came up with?

Prior to my studies, no characterization had been done of the new castle disease virus strains from Kenya. I have been able characterize at least three genome strains of this virus that causes Newcastle disease and found all of them to be virulent and are from a recent clade of viruses. In addition, from the first results of gene expression analysis, indigenous chickens may confer some natural immunity to the Newcastle disease since they expressed genes involved in immune response pathways.

In addition, we have been able to set up an in vitro chicken laboratory at ILRI to study viral diseases affecting chicken. Researchers can be able to use the lab to carry out in vitro culture, molecular work, as well as virus infectivity studies.

What are some of the opportunities that you see in the area of chicken research?

Scientists and others in agriculture research need to change their mindset and stop looking at chicken like a small livestock but to look at chicken as a livestock that has huge opportunities especially for rural smallholder farmers. Some indigenous chicken phenotypes are resistant to drought some produce more meat and eggs while others are resistant to disease. If we can tap into this realization, we can develop response strategies to mitigate the famine effects in our region. Indigenous chickens are also a great source of nutrition for the households and development projects need to make this area of research more attractive.

In March, you will be representing AWARD, ILRI and BecA  at the international women’s day ceremony in London, tell us about that?

It is a humbling opportunity that I am looking forward to; I credit the AWARD team for this opportunity. The key people that I will be meeting are parliamentarians who are interested in agricultural issues related to women and women scientists who are strategically placed to contribute and make differences in the current poverty scenario in Africa. There will also be members of the British Parliament, current AWARD supporters, academicians, and representatives from NGOs and civil society. I will also take this opportunity to fund raise as I will be meeting with representatives from DFID, Bill & Melinda Gate Foundation among other donors interested in exploring ways on how chicken can change the livelihoods of women.

What are some of the other key events that you have taken part in?

On 2nd February this year, I made a presentation to the World Bank vice president Rachel Kyte during her visit to the CGIAR Centers in Kenya.  In 2009, I had the opportunity to meet Hilary Clinton, U.S. Secretary of State and Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture during their visit in Nairobi and in 2010, I met the president of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki when he came to open the ILRI- Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub.

Who are some of the people who have assisted you along the way?

My supervisors’ professors’ Steve Kemp-ILRI, Olivier Hanotte-Nottingham University, and Alessio Valentini-Tuscia University, have been supportive of my work from the time I started working at ILRI and throughout my PhD studies. The AWARD fellowship, which I got in 2008, has also been instrumental in helping me to focus on my work and advance my career.

Away from being in the labs and carrying out your research work, what else do you like doing?

I love travelling, hiking and mountain climbing.

What are some of your personal lessons that you would like to share with other young scientists?

One of the biggest mistake young scientists make is to take up any available opportunities that comes their way, before starting my PhD studies I received offers to study different research topics which I declined because I was passionate and focused about chicken research, I would like encourage other young scientists to follow their dream and to critically examine their strengths and interests before taking up research opportunities. I have also learnt that having a support group and finding people who can complement your work is important in helping one to forge ahead. As a wife and mother, I have also realized that it is important to have a work-life balance i.e. to frequently step out for some fresh air out of your career and rejuvenate your mind for fresh ideas!

 

A minor role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the control of a primary infection of cattle with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. Mycoides: Highlighting our publications

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides, is an important livestock disease in Africa. The current control measures rely on a vaccine with limited efficacy and occasional severe side effects. Knowledge of the protective arms of immunity involved in this disease will be beneficial for the development of an improved vaccine.

In previous studies on cattle infected with M. mycoides subsp. mycoides, a correlation was detected between the levels of mycoplasma-specific IFN-γ-secreting CD4+ T lymphocytes and reduced clinical signs. However, no cause and effect has been established, and the role of such cells and of protective responses acquired during a primary infection is not known.

We investigated the role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in CBPP by comparing disease patterns and post mortem findings between CD4+ T cell depleted and non-depleted cattle. The depletion was carried out using several injections of BoCD4 specific murine monoclonal antibody on day 6 after experimental endotracheal infection with the strain Afadé. All cattle were monitored clinically daily and sacrificed 28-30 days post-infection.

Statistically significant but small differences were observed in the mortality rate between the depleted and non-depleted animals. However, no differences in clinical parameters (fever, signs of respiratory distress) and pathological lesions were observed, despite elimination of CD4+ T cells for more than a week. The slightly higher mortality in the depleted group suggests a minor role of CD4+ T cells in control of CBPP.

Citation: Sacchini, F., Naessens, J., Awino, E., Heller, M., Hlinak, A., Haider, W., Sterner-Kock, A. and Jores, J. 2011. A minor role of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the control of a primary infection of cattle with Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. Mycoides. Veterinary Research 42(77)

Status: Open Access

 

A Day in the Life of the PAZ Project: About the People, Animals and their Zoonoses Project

Western Kenya is a part of the world with high human and livestock population densities, representative more largely of the whole Lake Victoria Crescent ecosystem.  This is a rural area (around 95% of households depend on agriculture as their primary source of livelihoods) where farmers are mixed crop-livestock small-holders – families generally grow crops and keep on average 2.5 head of cattle.  The high densities of livestock and people, and the environment in which these populations live, makes it an ideal location to study the transmission of a group of multi-host pathogens that infect both animals and people: zoonoses.  Approximately 60% of human infections are zoonotic; livestock are an important reservoir for many of these, including a number of so called “neglected zoonotic diseases”, a term coined by the World Health Organization (a seminal report on this matter is available from WHO) to identify a group of infections that receive little interest from policy makers, that are under-researched and largely poorly understood, but that none the less impact significantly on the livelihoods of a great number of people.

To address this lack of knowledge, the Wellcome Trust, awarded a project to a team of epidemiologists from the University of Edinburgh (UK) who are working in partnership with ILRI and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). The aim of this project, termed the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project is to better understand the epidemiology and burden of several zoonotic infections of livestock origin in this area, and to understand the interactions between zoonotic and non-zoonotic organisms in terms of pre-disposing affected individuals to additional risk or burden.

How does the project work?

Group photo of the project team, missing from the picture is Gideon Mwali, Mary Muthoni, Annie Cook, Eric Fèvre and Lian Doble (Photo credit: Derek Daly).

To achieve these aims, the team, led by Eric Fèvre, has established a joint human and animal diagnostic laboratory in the town of Busia.  This lab, and the field teams working from it, operate using the principles of “One Health”, attempting to capture data and samples from livestock and humans together in a random sample of households in the study area. 

Further details of the project are available on the project website; ILRI have also produced an interesting 2 minute-long photo film for a visual overview : The connection between animal disease and human health.  A clip from the Australian ABC “Catalyst” science programme also features the project (aired in March 2011).

Voices from the field

To understand not only the objectives, overviews, outcomes in the project, but also the lab and field procedures used, first hand experiences, challenges, and highlights of the project, several members of ILRI staff working on the PAZ project will be posting their experiences of “A Day in the Life of the PAZ Project” over the next few weeks.  There are many aspects to this project – fieldwork involving collecting detailed data through questionnaires with household heads, individuals within households, slaughter house workers and so on.  We ask detailed questions about socio-economics, behaviour, livestock keeping and health.  We collect biological samples (blood and faecal samples) from humans, cattle and pigs, and these samples are transported to the laboratory by the field teams, who hand them over to the lab teams; in both the human and animal laboratories, samples are tested for several pathogens and analysed for several health indicators, before being deep frozen ready for transport to Nairobi, where a second level of diagnostic effort is applied at the ILRI campus.  The project depends on attention to detail by all staff, and benefits tremendously from the enthusiasm that everyone involved shows for doing the best job they can.

The PAZ field laboratory is based in the town of Busia, in Western Kenya, and is a collaborative centre involving the University of Edinburgh, ILRI, KEMRI and importantly, the Kenyan Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) with whom we have a close working relationship.

About the author

Eric Fèvre is the team leader of the PAZ project, and is a Wellcome Trust Research Fellow.  He is an epidemiologist with a background in parasitology and biogeography, and with over a decade of experience working in the field with zoonotic infections at the livestock-human interface (Photo Credit: Charlie Pye-Smith).

 

Professor Joachim Frey visits ILRI’s Biotechnology Theme

On January 18, the CBPP team at ILRI Nairobi had the pleasure of hosting Prof. Joachim Frey from the University of Bern in Switzerland. Prof. Frey, the current chair of the International Organization of Mycoplasmology, and one of the world’s leading experts on CBPP gave a seminar to ILRI staff on ‘Molecular epidemiology of CBPP and detection of a major virulence attribute of M. mycoides subs. mycoides’

Frey stressed that science cannot be planned but must be carried out, this is the only way to find out something new. He shared his experiences and findings from his comparative experimental studies which were instrumental in revealing some of the major differences between the African and European strains of the disease.

About CBPP

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) is an easily spread respiratory disease of cattle caused by the bacterium Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. Mycoides (Mmm). The disease continues to remain a huge threat to African farmers even after it has been eradicated in Europe, North America, Australia and most of Asia. The disease is among the major diseases that the Biotech theme carries out research on.

Some of ongoing ILRI projects in this area are:

• Accelerating CBPP research towards a better vaccine through application of synthetic biology
• Antimicrobials and improved diagnostics towards integrated control of CBPP
• Enhanced control of CBPP through the development of an inactivated vaccine – proof of concept

About Professor Frey

Frey was born in Zurich, studied chemistry and biochemistry at the Universities of Geneva and Uppsala (Sweden) and earned his PhD in Molecular Biology at the University of Geneva 1980. He worked as a research fellow at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin and the University of Geneva on plasmid incompatibility and genetic engineering of soil and water bacteria.

His research interests are the molecular mechanisms of pathogenic Mycoplasma species where he unravelled the uptake mechanism and metabolism of glycerol as a major virulence attribute of M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC; of Pasteurellaceae, where he detected RTX toxins as predominant virulence attributes of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, and pathogenic Aeromonas species where he detected Type III secretion as the central virulence attribute of A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, the etiological agent of furunculosis of salmon, trout and char. He is member of the IOM since 1992 and is member of the international committee on systematics of prokaryotes, subcommittee on the taxonomy of Mollicutes.

 

Genetic and expression analysis of cattle identifies candidate genes in pathways responding to Trypanosoma congolense infection: Highlighting our publications

Abstract
African bovine trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma sp., is a major constraint on cattle productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. Some African Bos taurus breeds are highly tolerant of infection, but the potentially more productive Bos indicus zebu breeds are much more susceptible. Zebu cattle are well adapted for plowing and haulage, and increasing their tolerance of trypanosomiasis could have a major impact on crop cultivation as well as dairy and beef production. We used three strategies to obtain short lists of candidate genes within QTL that were previously shown to regulate response to infection. We analyzed the transcriptomes of trypanotolerant N’Dama and susceptible Boran cattle after infection with Trypanosoma congolense. We sequenced EST libraries from these two breeds to identify polymorphisms that might underlie previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL), and we assessed QTL regions and candidate loci for evidence of selective sweeps. The scan of the EST sequences identified a previously undescribed polymorphism in ARHGAP15 in the Bta2 trypanotolerance QTL. The polymorphism affects gene function in vitro and could contribute to the observed differences in expression of the MAPK pathway in vivo. The expression data showed that TLR and MAPK pathways responded to infection, and the former contained TICAM1, which is within a QTL on Bta7. Genetic analyses showed that selective sweeps had occurred at TICAM1 and ARHGAP15 loci in African taurine cattle, making them strong candidates for the genes underlying the QTL. Candidate QTL genes were identified in other QTL by their expression profile and the pathways in which they participate.

Citation: Noyes, H.A., et al. 2011. Genetic and expression analysis of cattle identifies candidate genes in pathways responding to Trypanosoma congolense infection. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1013486108

 

Devoted to the farmer and their cow: Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) visit to Biotech’s research project sites

The Dairy Genetics East Africa (DGEA) project’s success hinges on the participation of small holders dairy farmers and their willingness to share their knowledge and practices.  Selected project sites include Kaptumo, Siongiroi, Meteitei, Kabras, Butere/Khwisero in Kenya and Wakiso, Bushyenyi in Uganda.  On 27^th of June, a field trip in the Kenyan sites to monitor animal performance progress also doubled up as an opportunity for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) representatives, Gregg BeVier and Lee Klejtnot, to visit selected farmers.  A group of 6 farmers of varying socioeconomic backgrounds and dairy experience shared their livestock keeping experiences, challenges and opportunities with the Gates Foundation representatives and ILRI staff.

Gregg and Lee also had an opportunity to visit the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project sites in Busia Kenya on the 28^th of June. This project is studying zoonotic diseases with the aim of raising the levels of health in poor rural communities.

Kenya livestock learning trip video

Watch the below video to find out in details how this experience was for the BMGF representatives, hear what the farmers said they would invest in if they were given USD 1000 and see some of the local techniques that farmers apply in daily household activities.

Picture review of the visit

Dairy Genetics East Africa (DGEA) project staff, Roulex Odhiambo and Denis Mujibi talking with a farmer (middle)

Project team inspecting a cow shed 

From right: Steve Staal and Okeyo Mwai, ILRI scientists discussing supplementary feeds used by the farmer

Roulex Odhiambo, DGEA project site coordinator for Butere and Khwisero study sites of Western Kenya taking cow’s body length measurements

Vincent Oloo, James Akoko and Lazarus Omoto, ILRI animal health staff with the People, Animals and their Zoonoses (PAZ) project carrying out famacha on a cow

PAZ  medical team taking samples from people

Project team taking time to visit and talk with a farmer participating in the DGEA project

Picture of the week: Field work means we also get very serious with our livestock

Gregg BeVier of BMGF, Vish Nene of ILRI and Lee Klejtnot of BMGF visiting the PAZ project site in Busia

To view all the pictures click HERE

Click on the below links to find out more about these projects:

• Field visit video: Kenya Livestock Learning Trip
• DGEA project flier
• Zoonotic and Emerging Disease

Photo credit: Lee Klejtnot/BMGF , Eric Fevre/ILRI

 

Renewed research efforts to tackle African Swine Fever (ASF), ILRI Biotech/BecA collaborative project in the New Agriculturist

Causing up to 100 per cent mortality in previously unaffected animals, African Swine Fever (ASF) is a devastating disease of pigs. Endemic across much of Africa, the disease poses a wider threat to global food security, particularly in East Asia, where at least 50 per cent of the protein consumed is pork, much of it produced through small to medium-scale ‘backyard’ enterprises.

Current control methods are by diagnosis and slaughter but this approach is difficult, expensive and often not practical for smallholder farmers. To better understand the complexities of the disease, a consortium of research and development organisations* from around the world is implementing a range of approaches across Africa.

New strains add risk

Whilst there are currently no formal economic estimates of the overall losses to ASF in Africa, an outbreak in Madagascar in 1998 killed half the country’s pig population (250,000 animals). During the last year, ASF outbreaks have also been reported in North Cameroon where over 100,000 animals may have been lost to the disease. In October 2010, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received notification of the first ASF outbreak in Chad.

In addition, there is evidence that different strains of virus causing the disease are spreading within the continent. In 2010, a highly lethal genetic type of the virus, previously known only from East Africa, was detected in the Republic of Congo. Beyond Africa, the disease is endemic in Sardinia as well as in the Caucasus and Southern Russia, posing a risk to the EU and parts of Eastern Europe.

The epidemiology of ASF is complex, involving wild pigs, particularly warthogs, and soft ticks, in eastern and southern Africa. In west and central Africa transmission is believed to be mostly by direct transfer of the virus between domestic pigs, or via infected offal contaminating feed.

African swine fever virus (ASFV), the causative agent, is a highly stable DNA virus that can survive under a wide range of temperatures and pH levels. DNA viruses tend to be much more stable than RNA viruses – the main cause of many important human diseases – and can be more easily disseminated over broad geographic areas through the movement of infected swine or contaminated pork products.

Read the whole article in the latest edition of New Agriculturist: http://www.new-ag.info/en/focus/focusItem.php?a=2281

Related articles also worth reading:

African Swine Fever Virus p72 Genotype IX in Domestic Pigs, Congo, 2009

African swine fever Diagnostics, Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control, Workshop Summary

Credits: Article authors, Edward Okoth & Richard Bishop of ILRI and Larelle McMillan of CSIRO, the production of the article was supported by CSIRO-AusAID, image, Flickr by Stevie Mann/ILRI

For more information about this project email Richard Bishop at r.bishop(at)cgiar.org

 

Molecular characterization of live Theileria parva sporozoite vaccine stabilates reveals extensive genotypic diversity: Highlighting our publications

‘Highlighting our publications’ is a new blog series that will feature publications from the Biotech theme.  The success of scientific research is greatly pegged on existing information and published scientific work to provide crucial information and knowledge that is important to the progress of science. Our publications represent the latest results in areas such as: molecular immunology, breeding strategies, molecular diagnostics, comparative microbial genomics, comparative eukaryotic genomics and bio-informatics.

To kick off this new series is the ‘Molecular characterization of live Theileria parva sporozoite vaccine stabilates reveals extensive genotypic diversity‘ a journal article that was published in February 2011.

Abstract: The current Infection and Treatment Method of vaccination against East Coast fever comprises an inoculation of live Theileria parva sporozoites and simultaneous administration of oxytetracycline. Immunization with a combination of parasite types has been shown to provide broader protection than inoculation of individual strains. In this study, we used a high-throughput capillary electrophoresis system to determine the genotypic composition of the Muguga Cocktail, a widely used vaccine stabilate derived from three seed stabilates – Muguga, Serengeti-transformed and Kiambu 5. Five satellite markers were used to genotype the vaccine and reference stabilates from two commercial-scale preparations of the vaccine. In addition, 224 cloned cell lines established by infection of bovine lymphocytes with T. parva parasites from the component stabilates were genotyped. The results indicate that, for the recently prepared batch, there are at least eight genotypes in each of the Muguga and the Serengeti-transformed stabilates, whilst parasites from the Kiambu 5 stabilate showed no diversity at the five loci. The Serengeti-transformed stabilate contained parasites of the Kiambu 5 genotype and of two genotypes present in the Muguga stabilate, whereas there were no genotypes common to the Muguga and Kiambu 5 stabilates. When stabilates from the two vaccine batches were compared, no allelic variations were identified between the Muguga and Kiambu 5 parasites, whilst lack of sufficient clones prevented a full comparison of the Serengeti-transformed stabilates. The findings will facilitate examination of the extent to which the vaccine strains become resident in areas under vaccination, the identification of ‘breakthrough’ strains and the establishment of the quality assurance protocols to detect variations in the production of the vaccine. The cloned cell lines will be useful for further understanding the antigenic diversity of parasites in the vaccine.

Citation: Patel, E.H., Lubembe, D.M., Gachanja, J., Mwaura, S., Spooner, P. and Toye, P. 2011. Molecular characterization of live Theileria parva sporozoite vaccine stabilates reveals extensive genotypic diversity. Veterinary Parasitology 179(1-3):62-68.
Doi:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.01.057

 

Korea National Institute of Animal Science project partners visit ILRI

The ILRI-RDA (Rural Development of Administration) research project, among the Biotech’s improving characterization of livestock and pathogens (BT02) project is this week (20-25 November) hosting visitors from the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Korea.

The visitors, Jeong-Ro Ki, director of Planning and Coordination Division, Boh-suk Yang director of Animal Genetic Resources Station and Seong-Heum YEON, theme reader of Animal Genomic and Bioinformatics Division will be meeting to discuss project activities and investigate ILRI’s research planning and coordination system.Among the planned activities include: meetings with the Korean society and ILRI’s research staff, field visits to the Korean chicken farm and local farmers in Nakuru as well as a visit to the Animal Genetics Training Resource Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) center.Changyeon Cho (C.Cho(at)cgiar.org), Biotech’s visiting scientist from Korea will be facilitating the visit.

 

How bioscience is revolutionising the 21st century

‘Animal Health and Genetics’ was an interesting discussion session at last week’s LiveSTOCK Exchange event. This session was introduced by Vish Nene, the Theme Director of the ILRI Biotech group and he focused on 3 broad areas where science will revolutionize the 21^st century. They are:

1. Computer revolution
2. Quantum revolution
3. Bio-molecular revolution

Computer Revolution: A lot of changes have been observed in the last decade, a good example is the changes in the High-performance Computing (HPC) server used at ILRI for data analysis that was recently upgraded. The new server is more efficient, has a much higher processing speed, occupies 1/5 the space of the older machine and is 10x faster. The effects of cloud computing are anticipated to be observed in this field. The iCow, an agri mobile application that assists farmer in managing their cow’s breeding and nutrition is another example that is fast becoming a farmer’s best friend. These and many other changes in technology offer a myriad of opportunities for scientist to take advantage of.

2005 HPC server

2011 HPC server

Quantum revolution: This is termed as one of the greatest success stories in modern physics of making sense of the very small. This revolution has the great potential of turning science fiction into fact.

ILRI's 454 Sequencer

 Bio-molecular revolution: This revolution is based on the genome and genomics revolution, genes are important in providing new solutions to problems in biology. The Roche 454 GS FLX sequencer has enabled low-cost and much faster whole genome sequencing than could ever be imagined. This sequencer has a capacity of sequencing approximately 400-600 megabases of DNA per 10-hour run. Synthetic genomics, which involves tailoring biology so as to make useful products, is another new area that is changing the outlook of science. With the 3 major bio-inputs of feed, health and genetics necessary to increase the livestock productivity, it is up to scientist’s ingenuity to see how they are going to take advantage of these revolutions to apply in their science.

View related contributions by ILRI Biotechnology Theme to the event.

 

Animal Genetics Training Resource (AGTR) version 3 Officially Released!

Yesterday afternoon the new fully Web-enabled platform Animal Genetics Training Resource (AGTR) (http://agtr.ilri.cgiar.org) was launched at the LiveSTOCK Exchange event which took stock of ILRI’s research over the last ten years at the ILRI Addis Ababa, Ethiopia campus, the event was held on 9-10 November. While launching the new resource, Julie Ojango said that this is one product that is fully ‘dedicated’ to livestock.

AGTR is a an essential component and output of the ILRI-Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) project. The training resource is a unique, ‘one stop’, user-friendly, interactive, multimedia resource, targeted at researchers and scientists teaching and carrying out research in Animal Breeding and Genetics (ABG). It is a dynamic training resource designed to help strengthen the capacity of NARS; inform the design and implementation of breeding programmes; and provide information that will empower countries and institutions to undertake their own research and apply available information and knowledge. It covers established and rapidly developing areas, such as genetic based technologies and their application in livestock breeding programmes.

Development of the Animal Genetics Training Resource (AGTR)

Core to the AGTR are Modules on:

1. Global perspectives on animal genetic resources for sustainable agriculture and food production;
2. Improving our knowledge of tropical indigenous animal genetic resources;
3. Sustainable breeding programmes for tropical farming systems;
4. Quantitative methods to improve the understanding and utilisation of animal genetic resources; and
5. Teaching methods and science communication.

Julie Ojango is among the Biotech’s BT03 scientists responsible for this project, for more information about the resource write to j.ojango(@)cgiar.org

 

LiveSTOCK Exchange video reflections: The Biotech angle

As part of the reflection for the November 2011  liveSTOCK Exchange seminar at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Addis Ababa, Biotech scientists: Roger Pelle, Phil Toye, Steve Kemp and Okeyo Mwai share their reflections on some of the changes they have observed and have been part off over the years in a series of  video conversations, below.

ILRI research on animal diseases in Africa – Accomplishments and partnerships by Roger Pellé

ILRI research on animal diseases in Africa—Developing vaccines and diagnostics by Phil Toye

The changing face of biotechnology research at ILRI by Steve Kemp

Breeding indigenous livestock at ILRI: Red Maasai sheep in Kenya by Okeyo Mwai

See all the posts in this series at: http://ilriclippings.wordpress.com/tag/livestockx/

View all outputs including issue briefs on dspace at: http://tinyurl.com/livestockXoutputs

Video credits: Public Awareness team at ILRI

 

Sustainable breeding strategies for ruminants in Eastern and Southern Africa: Farmer workshop

Participants and project staff at the farmer workshop

The sustainable breeding strategies for ruminants in Eastern and Southern Africa project carried out by the Biotech’s BT03 (improving the utilization of farm animal genetic resources) team at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Nairobi in collaboration with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) held an enlightening and successful farmer’s workshop on October 12 at FARAJA institute in Isinya town, Kenya. The main aim of this workshop was to develop and strengthen the capacity of livestock keepers participating in the project to appreciate and adopt the practice of routine livestock recording.

Individual animal recording form used in the project

Picture the health clinic records that a new mother keeps and carries every time she takes her new born baby to the clinic where the growth of the new born baby is recorded until the baby is 9 months old.This project employs a similar approach in the production of sheep in pastoral communities. With the assistance of the field extension workers, participating farmers begin a new animal record sheet whenever their sheep lamb down. They then record the date of birth for the lamb, its weight and various body measurements, and its sire and dam with their respective breed. Information on weight, height and length of the lambs is subsequently recorded every 3 months over one year. Additionally, information on any diseases, treatments given, reproduction or change in management practice that affect the sheep is noted.

Using the information generated, the project aims to develop sustainable breeding strategies for the Red Maasai sheep, an indigenous animal genetic resource, well adapted to the arid lands and known to exhibit genetic resilience to intestinal worm infections.

What do the farmers think about record keeping?

James Audho, the project technician working with ILRI who is responsible for practical training on animal handling and field data collection in the project areas noted that prior to this project, farmers kept all information on their animals in their heads, often giving estimates rather than real figures when asked for information. However, changing lifestyles in pastoral areas and an increase in the harshness and frequency of droughts has meant that more reliable and accurate information is required in order for better planning and targeted intervention to avoid catastrophes of famine and loss of livelihoods.

Long term benefits that the farmers get from record keeping include: better prices for animals with documented information, improved access to both national and international markets for their animal products due to their traceability, improved services due to better use of communal bargaining power, strong collaboration between farmers for their regional development, better livelihoods for the livestock keepers.

James Audho tagging a participating sheep whose records will be kept and analysed during the project life cycle

The 4 year project, currently in its second year is being in implemented in Amboseli and Isinya in Kajiando District, Rift Valley Province in Kenya. For more information about the study contact: Julie Ojango PI (J.Ojango(at)cgiar.org) and Emelie Zonabend PhD (Emelie.Zonabend(at)slu.se)

 

Combating East Coast Fever (ECF); Muguga Cocktail

East Coast fever (ECF) is one of the major diseases affecting cattle and among the major livestock diseases that the Biotech team at ILRI is researching on to develop and improve vaccines for. ECF is caused by a tick-borne parasite called Theileria parva and has been affecting cattle in 11 countries in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa since the early 1900s.  The disease is estimated to be causing 1million deaths annually with losses amounting to 300 million US dollars, about 28 million cattle are at risk.

The current control methods to ECF are:

• Tick control by dipping/spraying
• Treatment of sick animals
• Live vaccine: Infection and Treatment and Method (ITM) vaccine also known as Muguga Cocktail

In his seminar presentation yesterday 11 October, titled ‘Understanding the antigenic basis of strain-restricted immunity to T.parva (CIDLID project)’ Roger Pelle, one of the ILRI scientists working on this project gave an update of where the research team was in the study of the various types of T. parva parasites that are in the live vaccine (Muguga Cocktail) and comparing them to what is there in the regions where ECF is endemic. The study regions include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Muguga Cocktail
Muguga Cocktail, as the name suggests is a ‘cocktail vaccine’ from 3 seed stocks (stabilates):

1. T. parva Muguga stabilate
2. T. parva Kiambu 5 stabilate
3. T. parva Serengeti transformed stabilate

The first batch of the Muguga Cocktail vaccine, FAO1, was produced by ILRI in 1996 and the second and current batch, ILRI08, was produced by ILRI in 2008. The vaccine so far has been very successful and is in high demand especially in Tanzania.  The vaccine gives between 95-100% protection against ECF but has some limitations that are driving further research that can lead to the development of an improved vaccine, some of these limitations include;

• Risk of disease if drug fails; carrier state; new strains
• Difficult to administer the vaccine requiring well trained manpower
• Cold chain, vaccine needs to be stored in liquid nitrogen
• Expensive: immunisation costing about USD 9-17/animal

The recent study updates as shared during the presentation is that, there are more different parasites in the study field populations than in the Muguga Cocktail vaccine and by further studying these parasites and comparing them with the current vaccine the team aims to understand the antigenic basis of strain-restricted immunity to T. parva and hopefully identify responsible parasite components that will help develop improved vaccine easier to administer, more affordable to farmers and overcome the above limitations.

This study is a collaborative effort of Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and ILRI. For more information about the project visit: http://www.theileria.org/cidlid/

Content Credit: With input from Dr. Roger Pelle, a molecular biologist and scientist in the Vaccines and Diagnostics research programme (BT01) at ILRI.  Dr. Pelle has worked on Theileria parva since 2001, and has played a leading role in the studies that led to the identification of CD8 T cell antigens from Theileria parva.

Photo credit: ILRI flickr account (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilri)