A new brucellosis vaccine, called RB51, lets veterinarians tell the difference between livestock that have been vaccinated and those that have been infected naturally. This vaccine is missing a part of Brucella abortus , the bacterium behind brucellosis. The immune system of animals receiving the new vaccine doesn't produce the same antibodies as naturally infected animals. Developed by a Virginia Polytechnic Institute researcher and tested by ARS scientists and Colorado Serum Co. in Denver, the vaccine worked well in tests with cattle. Current commercial vaccines are effective, but stimulate the animal's immune system to produce the same antibodies as natural infection, making it impossible to sort out vaccinated from infected animals.
Brucellosis causes abortion and reduced milk production in cattle, sheep and goats.
Plum pox virus has not been found in North America, but is rampant throughout European orchards and was recently discovered in South America. There is no known control for the virus, which attacks plums, apricots and peaches and is spread by aphids and grafting. To create the transgenic plants, ARS scientists injected healthy plum plants with a gene from the coat protein surrounding the virus. After two years of tests, one breeding line appears to have complete immunity to the virus. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service collaborated on the research.