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Researchers have made a breakthrough in creating a new immunization to combat a deadly virus that targets young elephants.

The vaccine, developed by an international research team, aims to stop the serious disease caused by elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), which is presently a primary cause of death in juvenile Asian elephants.

In trials that included adult elephants at Chester Zoo, the vaccine was found to be harmless and, importantly, to activate components of the body's defenses that helps combating viruses.

Prof Falko Steinbach called this as "a landmark moment in our efforts to protect Asian elephants".

It is anticipated that the outcome of this first-of-its-kind trial will pave the way to preventing the deaths of young elephants from the harmful disease caused by this virus.

Devastating Impact

EEHV has had a particularly devastating impact in zoos. At Chester Zoo by itself, multiple baby elephants have died to it over the past ten years. It has also been found in natural populations and in some refuges and elephant orphanages.

It causes a bleeding disorder - uncontrolled hemorrhaging that can be deadly within a day. It results in death in over eighty percent of instances in juvenile elephants.

Understanding the Threat

Why EEHV can be so lethal is remains unclear. Many mature elephants carry the virus - apparently with no adverse effects on their health. But it is believed that juvenile elephants are especially susceptible when they are being weaned, and when the immune-boosting defenses from the maternal nutrition decline.

At this phase, a young elephant's natural defenses is in a precarious state and it can become overpowered. "It may lead to extremely serious illness," a lead conservation scientist explained.

"It does affect wild elephants, but we don't have an exact number of how many deaths in overall it has caused. For elephants in human care though, there have been more than 100 deaths."

Immunization Creation

The scientific group, headed by animal health experts, created the new vaccine using a proven "framework". Essentially, the basic structure of this vaccine is identical to one routinely used to immunise elephants against a virus called a related virus.

The scientists seeded this immunization framework with components from EEHV - harmless parts of the virus that the elephant's immune system might recognise and react against.

In a pioneering experiment, the team tested the novel vaccine in three healthy, adult elephants at Chester Zoo, then analysed blood tests from the innoculated animals.

The lead researcher stated that the findings, published in a research publication, were "more successful than anticipated".

"The results demonstrated, unequivocally that the vaccine was effective to activate the production of immune cells, that are crucial to fighting virus attacks."

Future Steps

The subsequent phase for the scientists is to test the vaccine in younger elephants, which are the creatures most vulnerable to serious disease.

The present immunization involves four shots to be administered, so an additional objective is to determine if the same protective amount can be provided in a simpler way - perhaps with less jabs.

Dr Edwards explained: "Ultimately we want to use this vaccine in the elephants that are in danger, so we want to make sure that we can get it to where it's necessary."

The project lead added: "We believe this is a major step forward, and not just solely for the elephants, but because it also demonstrates that you can design and apply vaccines to assist threatened animals."