Four global organizations announced their partnership aimed at finding solutions to combat African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT).
The partnership involves the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Government Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GALVmed.
The partnership aims to develop and make available a new solution to address AAT, according to a joint statement.
Caused by parasites, AAT is a disease of vertebrate animals affecting cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, horses, pigs, dogs, and other species.
The newly created partnership will conduct research and collaborate with other projects to promote and develop solutions to address AAT, the statement says.
Its aspiration is to be able to launch a new solution for AAT before 2030 although the development of new veterinary products takes many years.
The disease is mainly spread by Tse-Tse flies in Africa and in northern South America, it is transmitted by biting flies such as stable flies and horseflies.
Infectious parasites enter the bloodstream of the host animal and multiply causing fever, weakness, lethargy, and anemia which lead to weight loss, reduced fertility and milk production, and may result in death.
In Africa, AAT is estimated to threaten more than 50 million cattle in known tse-tse endemic areas. Losses in agricultural gross domestic product in all affected areas are believed to be around $4.5 billion annually.
Source: Link to the Post