VACCINATION OF CATTLE AGAINST BOVINE SCHISTOSOMOSIS - CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE-PROSPECTS - A REVIEW

Bovine schistosomosis, caused by Schistosoma bovis, constitutes a seri ous veterinary problem in many parts of the world. The vaccination app roaches for the control of bovine schistosomosis include the use of ir radiation-attenuated S. bovis cercarial or schistosomular vaccines, S. bovis adult worms or whole-egg antigens and defined antigen vaccine. Irradiated S. bovis cercarial or schistosomular vaccines provide parti al protection against S. bovis infection. However, this type of vaccin e requires live infectious cercariae or viable schistosomula for induc tion of protection. Unfortunately, experimental immunizations with dea d schistosome antigens have been largely unsuccessful. The surge of ne w techniques in cellular immunology and molecular biology has made pos sible the development of potential candidate vaccine antigens from var ious species of schistosomes including S. bovis. The efficiency of the se vaccines has been evaluated in experimentally infected carves. Thes e vaccines will probably replace the irradiated S. bovis vaccines. A b road-spectrum antischistosome vaccine which can kill a variety of huma n and animal schistosome species is yet to be produced.