Preparation ofBovine Coronavirus Vaccine

Abstract

In Egypt, neonatal calf diarrhoea is a problem affecting calves and causing majour economic losses through mortalities and or from poor growth after disease. One of this causes is CV infection. As coronavirus infection took place during first 3 weeks of age of calves. protection of calves could be acheived by passive immunization through active immunization of the pregnant dams during the last stage of pregnancy to increase the level of immunoglobulin aginst coronavirus in their colostrum and milk.

This study aimed to produce a potent inactivated BCV vaccine and cvaJuation of it's efficiency to stimulate the animal's immune response to control CV infection in the newborn calves (cow and buffaloes) in Egypt.

Binary ethyleneimine was used as an inactivant for the virus. 'The vaccine was freeze dried after the addition of gelatine which was used as stabilizer and adjuvant.

Serum samples were collected from all vaccinated and non vaccinated animal just before vaccination and at 1, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35, 45 and 60 days, then monthly til I 6 months, also serum samples were collected from the delivered newborn calves before taking colostrum and then during the first 24 hrs till 2 month after parturition.

Sera samples applied for measuring coronavius antibodies levels by

SNT and ELISA tests.

Sterility tests was conducted on the prepared vaccine and proved that the vaccine was pure and free from any contamination.

Safety tests applied on mice, Guinea pigs and susceptible calves revealed also that the prepared vaccine was pure and safe for both laboratory animals and susceptible calves.