A New Cattle Vaccine to Keep E.coli Out of Food

Canadian researchers have come up with a new cattle vaccine that would keep E. coli bacteria out of food products.

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc have developed a vaccine in association with the University of British Columbia and the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), which reduces the amount of bacteria in manure shed by cattle.

The bacterium, E. coli 0157:H7, is a deadly strain that caused the death of seven people and sickness in thousands more in Walkerton, Ont., six years ago. E coli doesn’t affect cattle but causes bloody diarrhea, cramps and kidney failure in humans.

'This is a major breakthrough in terms of controlling a disease that appeared to be uncontrollable,' said McRae, the CEO of Bioniche Life Sciences Inc.

'This vaccine will reduce the amount of E. coli on carcasses and in the slaughterhouses and take pressure off the meat industry. It will really have a long-term impact on the health of Canadians.'

Bioniche has the approval of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to sell the vaccine to Canadian veterinarians.

McRae said, 'Canada was the first country to approve such a product and it isn’t clear when the vaccine will be available in the United States.'

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'We hope to get regulatory approval for the vaccine from Washington within one year,' he added.

Source-Medindia
PRI