Research Projects

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant threat to animal health and productivity in domestic livestock, with Mycobacterium bovis being the primary causative bacteria. BTB is a chronic debilitating illness in ruminants, with a prevalence rate ranging from 2% to 50% in Indian herds, causing significant economic loss to livestock farmers. The increasing incidence of TB in humans due to M. bovis and bovine due to M. tuberculosis highlights BTB as a zoonotic threat with 'One-Health' implications. With no effective anti-TB vaccine for use in animals and the inapplicability of therapeutic interventions and global 'test-and-cull' strategies in India due to economic and social reasons, the development of efficacious vaccines remains the only option to control BTB in India. TB vaccine research globally has focused on developing BCG-based vaccination strategies, either an improved BCG to replace the existing one or a booster vaccine to augment BCG-induced immunity. This proposal aims to employ a novel antibiotic marker-free live attenuated vaccine (LAV) development strategy to improve BCG efficacy. Developing an effective vaccine against BTB and its potential application in livestock vaccination programs could reduce BTB incidences and improve livestock productivity, leading to higher farm income. This research provides an unheralded potential for BTB control, supporting in-country innovations and achieving the national target of 'TB Mukt Bharat' by reducing BTB incidence in livestock and zoonotic TB in humans.