MSD Animal Health creates promising vaccine for rattles

MSD Animal Health has announced the creation of a potentially promising new vaccine treatment for rattles, a deadly disease common among foals.

The new drug development project has been spearheaded by Robert van der Geize of the University of Groningen, whose team collaborated with MSD Animal Health to create a mutant version of Rhodococcus equi, the bacterium that causes the illness.

Early trials have shown that this non-pathogenic variant can be attacked by the equine immune system, meaning it can be used to create resistance against the virulent form of the bacteria.

Rattles is so-called due to the rattling sound affected animals experience while breathing, with pneumonia, gastrointestinal infection and death often following.

A patent application and a large-scale field study of the new vaccine are now being planned, with MSD Animal Health suggesting it could help reduce veterinary reliance on antibiotics.

This week also saw the company attend a number of international poultry congresses in order to unveil new products and present its new company branding, having recently abandoned its former Intervet/Schering-Plough name.