Location: Animal Disease Research Unit
Project Number: 2090-32000-042-006-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2024
End Date: Jun 30, 2028
Objective:
Discovery of novel methods to improve diagnostic tools and vaccine development are necessary for efficient control of infectious diseases of animals. The objective of this project is to define protection correlates, control measures, and advanced diagnostic tools for Babesiosis, Transmissible Spongiform Encephalitis, Theileriosis, Anaplasmosis, Malignant Catarrhal Fever, small ruminant respiratory diseases.
Approach:
Improving diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive tools will be possible through collaboration with researchers at Washington State University. This agreement will facilitate the development of the next generation of scientists by fostering novel areas of expertise and providing training opportunities to achieve shared goals. This collaborative work will be carried out through the following specific objectives.
Project Title: Control Strategies for Bovine Babesiosis, Project Number: 2090-32000-040-000-D, Objective 1: Develop intervention strategies to minimize the impact of bovine babesiosis outbreaks, to include vaccine and therapeutic development to prevent clinical disease or block transmission of bovine babesiosis. Objective 2: Characterize the immune response to infection with Babesia bovis, to include identifying targets that can be used as correlates of protection and examining age-specific differences. The cooperative project through this agreement will include the effort to identify novel therapeutics and development of improved diagnostic methods for bovine babesiosis.
Project Title: Genetic Approaches and Tools to Prevent, Control, and Eradicate Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies, Project Number: 2090-32000-042-000D, Objective 2A: Develop improved methods for antemortem detection of Scrapie in small ruminants. This agreement will include the effort to improve methods for antemortem detection of Scrapie in small ruminants.
Project Title: Identifying Effective Immune Responses and Vaccine Development for Bovine Anaplasmosis, Project Number: 2090-32000-043-000-D, Objective 1: Characterize the immune response that correlates with protection from infection and/or disease. This agreement will include the effort to define immune protection correlate for Anaplasmosis in cattle.
Project Title: Control Strategies for Theileriosis, Project, Number: 2090-32000-044-000-D, Objective 2: Determine competent, native U.S. tick vectors of Theileria orientalis Ikeda (2016 VA isolate), assess potential T. orientalis Ikeda treatment strategies, and develop improved diagnostic and vaccine strategies for control of T. orientalis Ikeda. This agreement will include the effort to identify novel therapeutics and development of improved diagnostic methods for bovine theileriosis.
Project Title: Understanding Host-Bacterial Interactions to Mitigate Disease in Small Ruminants, Project Number: 2090-32000-045-000-D, Objective 2: Improve MCF diagnosis by developing new optimized diagnostic assays. This agreement will include the effort to develop improved serological diagnostic methods for better surveillance and control of MCF.
Project Title: Understanding Host-Bacterial Interactions to Mitigate Disease in Small Ruminants, Project Number: 2090-32000-046-000-D, Objective 1: Characterize host and bacterial factors contributing to disease pathogenesis in response to M. ovipneumoniae. This agreement will include the effort to develop improved diagnostic methods for better surveillance of small ruminant respiratory diseases.