title: The biology of Theileria parva and control of East Coast fever - Current status and future trends.
abstract: Tremendous progress has been made over the last ten years on East Coast fever (ECF) research. Publication of a reference genome sequence of Theileria parva, the causative agent of ECF, has led to a more thorough characterization of the genotypic and antigenic diversity of the pathogen. It also facilitated identification of antigens that are targets of bovine major histocompatibility complex class I restricted cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), induced by a live parasite-based infection and treatment method (ITM) vaccine. This has led to improved knowledge of epitope-specific T-cell responses to ITM that most likely contribute to the phenomenon of strain-specific immunity. The Muguga cocktail ITM vaccine, which provides broad-spectrum immunity to ECF is now a registered product in three countries in eastern Africa. Effort is directed at improving and scaling up the production process to make this vaccine more widely available on a commercial basis in the region. Meanwhile, research to develop a subunit vaccine based on parasite neutralizing antibodies and CTLs has been revived through convening of a research consortium to develop proof-of-concept for a next generation vaccine. Many new scientific and technical advances are facilitating this objective. Hence, the next decade promises even more progress toward an improved control of ECF.
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya; Adjunct Faculty, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States. Electronic address: v.nene@cgiar.org.
authors.forename: Vishvanath
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nene
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kiara
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lacasta
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pelle
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Svitek
authors.affiliation: International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, P.O. Box 30709, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Steinaa
mesh_terms: D000351:Africa, Eastern; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D002417:Cattle; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000276:immunology*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D016052:Protozoan Vaccines
keywords: Antigens; East Coast fever; Infection and treatment; Theileria parva; Vaccines