Hyderabad :

Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has launched a vaccine for Blue Tongue disease that affects domestic animals such as goats, sheep, cattle and camels. India is among the top victims of this disease. The mortality rate is quite high at 30 per cent.

The penta-valent vaccine Raksha-Blu protects all the five virus strains that cause the disease in India. It is priced at Rs. 5 a dose.

An arm of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the IIL claims that it is the first vaccine developed indigenously for the disease.

“There are 24 viral strains prevalent in the world. In India, about five strains are predominant. Besides high level of mortality, it causes morbidity too. There has been no vaccine developed so far to protect the animals from the disease,” a company statement said here on Wednesday.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Tamil Nadu University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences too have taken part in the development of the vaccine.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Agri-Biz / by K. V. Kurmanath / Hyderabad – September 24th, 2014