Uganda develops two Anti-tick vaccines

By Ben Musanje

28^th March 2024

The Government through the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) has set to enroll two new Anti- Tick vaccines that are environmentally favourable and strongly control multi-species tick infestations in cattle.

This is after research collaboration between Uganda’s NARO and a group at the Health and Biotechnology (SaBio), Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM) in Spain, headed by Prof. Jose de la Fuente successfully developed and produced two types of vaccines notably the injectable and oral vaccine anti-tick vaccines.

The vaccines specifically target ticks that infest cattle in Uganda including brown ear tick locally known as Engoha, African blue tick locally known as entujo and tropical bont tick locally known as Embarabara.

Frank Mugabi, the NARO Senior Communications Officer says that the vaccines were derived from a protein called Subolesin which was extracted from native tick species and the injectable anti-tick vaccine is administered in the muscle of cattle around the neck region while oral vaccine is given to cattle through the mouth or mixed in a suitable cattle meal.

He says that NARO has already obtained a utility model patent for the injectable and oral anti-tick vaccines (UG/U/2023/6) and efforts are underway to acquire clearance from the national regulatory bodies to register and recommend use of the vaccines by farmers.

Mugabi emphasizes that soon after registration and with support of the Government of Uganda, NARO will massively produce and roll out the vaccine to livestock farmers in and outside the country.

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