How bees naturally vaccinate their babies

Researchers discover process bees use to protect their offspring

Date:

July 31, 2015

Source:

Arizona State University

Summary:

When it comes to vaccinating their babies, bees don't have a choice -- they naturally immunize their offspring against specific diseases found in their environments. Now for the first time, scientists have discovered how they do it. This opens the door for researchers to develop the first-ever vaccine for insects. This is particularly important for bees since they help keep fruit, nuts and vegetables in our diets and have been declining in numbers for six decades.

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No badger cull in Cornwall as vaccination project shows 'good progress'

As the Government launches two “pilot” badger culls in Somerset and Gloucestershire, West Cornwall MP, Andrew George, announced good progress in the project to vaccinate badgers against Bovine TB across west Cornwall.

The Zoological Society of London will oversee the programme which will run for at least six years and extend to the whole of the Penwith peninsula. The Government has granted funds to the project to commence a small trial vaccination project in Penwith. This could commence later this year.

Mr George said: “It is highly unlikely that the Penwith area would ever succeed in securing Government support for a cull, even if it were proven to be a success because when the Government backed badger cull trial was undertaken in the Penwith area a decade ago, non-cooperation and disruption resulted in less than 50 per cent of the area being accessible for culling.

Continued

Welsh Government launches Badger TB vaccination programme

More than 275 badgers vaccinated so far
June 2012. The Welsh Environment Minister, John Griffiths, announced in March that he would launch a badger vaccination programme within the Intensive Action Area as part of his efforts to eradicate TB from cattle in Wales.

Following three months of hard work behind the scenes and a training programme for operatives, vaccination of badgers formally began on Monday 11th June and will continue throughout the summer and early autumn.

More than 275 badgers vaccinated so far
So far the vaccination programme has resulted in the successful trapping and vaccination of more than 275 badgers. This is the first time that a project to cage trap and vaccinate badgers on this ambitious scale has been undertaken.

Speaking about the programme, the Environment Minister said: "Our Strategic Framework for Bovine TB Eradication acknowledges that we must deal with all sources of Bovine TB, including wildlife, if we are going to achieve our goal of eradicating this debilitating disease.

"I am pleased that following my March decision to vaccinate badgers we have been able to move very swiftly and have now begun rolling out our vaccination programme in the Intensive Action Area. Our decision to pursue a vaccination programme has enabled us to take quick and decisive action aimed at developing a degree of immunity to TB within the badger population. We believe that this will reduce the risk of TB transmission from badgers to cattle.

"I would like to thank farmers and landowners for their co-operation. We will be monitoring the results of vaccination, and of our whole eradication programme, carefully to ensure we are making good progress towards our ultimate goal of a TB free Wales."

Continued and video: http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/badger-tb-wales.html#cr