Medgene launches first US vaccine targeting tick-borne Theileria orientalis Ikeda in cattle

Medgene has introduced the United States’ first prescription vaccine for Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a tick-borne parasite threatening cattle health amid rising tick activity and disease spread in the south-east and New York.

Medgene, the South Dakota animal health group, has begun offering what it describes as the first prescription platform vaccine in the United States aimed at Theileria orientalis Ikeda, a tick-borne parasite that can cause bovine infectious anaemia.

The launch matters because the pathogen is difficult to manage once established. Cornell University has said infected cattle can remain carriers for life, while the USDA has warned the disease can be highly lethal in affected herds. Symptoms can include fever, jaundice, lethargy, abortions and reduced milk output, with calves and pregnant heifers often most vulnerable.

The timing also reflects wider pressure from the Asian longhorned tick, which research published in Parasites & Vectors found is capable of transmitting the parasite to naïve calves. Cornell has reported cases in New York, and other studies suggest the organism has become established in parts of the south-east.

Medgene says its product is delivered as a two-dose course and is designed to target multiple stages of the parasite’s life cycle. The company says it is continuing work on vaccines for other tick-borne diseases.

For cattle producers, the arrival of a vaccine does not remove the need for surveillance, biosecurity and tick control. But it may give veterinarians a new tool against a disease for which approved treatment options in food animals have been limited.