Canada OK's E. coli cattle vaccine

January 5, 2006 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has authorized the distribution of an E. coli 0157:H7 vaccine to Canadian veterinarians, aiming to reduce shedding of the potentially deadly bacteria from cattle.

Manufactured by Bioniche Life Sciences, Inc., a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, the vaccine, "?will be an important factor in helping to reduce the prevalence of this toxic bacterium," said Graeme McRae, the company's president and chief executive officer.

Distribution of the vaccine will be allowed under a Permit to Release Veterinary Biologics, which equates to what is called a "conditional license" in the United States. Clinical trials, involving tests of the vaccine on more than 30,000 cattle over the past four years, have consistently shown a significant decrease in the number of cattle shedding E. coli in their manure.

"This vaccine will ensure that Canadian cattle producers continue to provide a safe product for Canadian consumers," said Dr. Lorne Babiuk, director of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization and Canada's chairman of research in vaccinology and biotechnology in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. "More importantly, the reduction of E. coli shedding into the environment will have far-reaching consequences regarding environmental contamination."
Reprinted from meatingplace.com

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