Ancovax India’s first Covid-19 vaccine for animals
Context
-
The Agriculture Ministry unveiled Ancovax, India’s first Covid-19 vaccine for animals.
- Developed by the Hisar-based National Research Centre on Equines, the vaccine, called Ancovax, can protect animals against the Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.
About Ancovax Vaccine
- Ancovax can be used in dogs, lions, leopards, mice, and rabbits.
Photo Credit: https://www.freepressjournal.in/ - It is an inactivated vaccine developed using an infectious part of the Delta variant.
- The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.
- In addition, it uses Alhydrogel as an adjuvant to boost the immune response.
- The vaccine contains inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) antigen with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant.
- This is the first Covid-19 vaccine for animals developed in India.
- There were reports from Russia last year that that country, too, had developed a vaccine against animals such as dogs, cats, minks, and foxes.
- The vaccine called Carnivac-Cov would be able to protect vulnerable species and thwart viral mutations.
Need of Ancovax
- There have been reports of Covid-19 infection in several animals, including dogs and cats.
- The vaccine can protect animals in the zoo. It can also prevent transmission from companion animals to the humans.
- The aim of the vaccine is to protect endangered animals such as lions and tigers.
What is the kit for canines?
- Apart from the vaccine, a diagnostic kits for animals was also launched. The “CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit” –a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA kit – helps in for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.
- Another kit – Surra ELISA kit – a suitable diagnostic assay for “Trypanosoma evansi” infection in multiple animal species was also launched.
- Surra is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases of the different livestock species caused by Trypanosoma evansi.
- The disease is prevalent in all the agro-climatic parts of India.
How are veterinary vaccines developed?
- Animal vaccines need a lower level of scrutiny compared to humans and often have a different makeup.
- The Zoetis vaccine, a subunit recombinant vaccine, uses a synthetic version of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and a proprietary adjuvant that the company has used in previous veterinary vaccines.
- It’s administered in two doses, three weeks apart, and, unlike with some drugs, the magnitude of dose does not need to be adjusted depending on the size or weight of the animal receiving a jab.
Reference:
Visit Abhiyan PEDIA (One of the Most Followed / Recommended) for UPSC Revisions: Click Here
IAS Abhiyan is now on Telegram: Click on the Below link to Join our Channels to stay Updated
IAS Abhiyan Official: Click Here to Join
For UPSC Mains Value Edition (Facts, Quotes, Best Practices, Case Studies): Click Here to Join