In news– Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister has launched the first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine Anocovax, for animals, developed by Haryana-based ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRC NSE).
What is Anocovax?
- Anocovax is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Delta (COVID-19) vaccine for animals.
- The immunity induced by Anocovax neutralises both Delta and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2.
- The vaccine contains inactivated SARS-CoV-2 (Delta) antigen with Alhydrogel as an adjuvant.
- It is safe for dogs, lions, leopards, mice and rabbits.
- The antibody detection kit is made in India and a patent has been filed for it.
- Studies have revealed pets can contract Covid from their owners through close contact.
- But there has been no evidence that humans can get Covid from the animals.
Other initiatives launched-
- Besides Anocovac, Tomar launched the CAN-CoV-2 ELISA kit, a sensitive and specific nucleocapsid protein-based indirect ELISA kit –– for antibody detection against SARS-CoV-2 in canines.
- Surra ELISA kit, a suitable diagnostic assay for ‘Trypanosoma evansi’ infection in multiple animal species, was also launched.
- Surra is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases of the different livestock species caused by Trypanosoma evansi.
- The disease is prevalent in all the agro-climatic parts of India.
- The minister also launched the Equine DNA parentage testing kit, which is a powerful genomic technology for parentage analysis among horses.
Source: Hindustan Times
