Scientists Trial Vaccine For Deadly Disease Killing Asian Elephant

Asian elephant illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Khunkay)

JAKARTA - Scientists are testing a vaccine against a deadly virus, threatening the survival of endangered Asian elephants worldwide.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is a major threat to the long-term survival of Asian elephants. This is a type of herpes virus that is often fatal to young Asian elephants, with a mortality rate of up to 80 percent. Once symptoms start showing, it's often too late to treat them.

Since EEHV was discovered at the National Zoo in Washington DC in the US in the 1990s, it has been a nightmare for elephants raised in captivity.

Worrying is now seen in wild herds too. Only 40,000 Asian elephants remain in the wild and reports of deaths from the virus are rising in India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Thailand.

The vaccine developed by Chester Zoo and the University of Surrey in the UK is the first of its kind to have entered pilot studies with elephants anywhere in the world.

"This is a pivotal moment in our research. Now that we have entered the pilot study stage, there is real optimism that we can find a safe vaccine that works", said Dr. Falko Steinbach, professor of veterinary immunology at the University of Surrey, cites Euronews February 4.

Asian elephant illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/Dilanthaonline)

The elephants at Chester Zoo were the first to receive the experimental vaccine. It was only possible because the guards could be close enough to them, to monitor their health and take blood samples.

The cooperation of the animals has allowed them to detect EEHV before symptoms appear. In 2019, that meant the team was able to save a five-year-old calf, Indali, from a deadly virus.

Lead researcher Dr. Tanja Maehr said preliminary results from a pilot study were encouraging with a vaccine that appears to stimulate an immune response.

The global conservation community is now one step closer to finding a viable vaccine to save Asian elephants from this deadly disease.

"However, it is not enough to prove the vaccine will prevent young elephants from dying from EEHV. It will take several months until the first phase of our work to select the best vaccine candidate and determine the optimal dose and frequency is completed", Maehr said.

"Finding a safe and effective vaccine that works for Asian elephants globally is the best way to tackle this devastating disease", said Mike Jordan, director of Animals and Plants at Chester Zoo.

He added that the pilot study was 'a light at the end of the tunnel because the only long-term solution for EEHV is to find a vaccine.

"The global conservation community is now one step closer to finding a viable vaccine to save Asian elephants from this deadly disease."