Cytokine and Humoral Immune Responses to a Goatpox Vaccine in Mithun (Bos frontalis): A Year-Long Field Investigation
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By
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Gundallahalli Bayyappa Manjunatha Reddy
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Vikram Ramesh
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Yallappa M. Somagond
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Plabita Goswami
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Selvaraj Ragulraj
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Hlawndo Lalzampuia
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Suchismitha Pal
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Sudeep Nagaraj
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Sunil Tadakod
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Uzma Jabeen
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Shraddha Bijalwan
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Muthannan Andavar Ramakrishnan
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Baldev Raj Gulati
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Patil Shivanagowda Girish
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April 21, 2026
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Clinical Scorecard: Cytokine and Humoral Immune Responses to a Goatpox Vaccine in Mithun (Bos frontalis): A Year-Long Field Investigation
At a Glance
| Category | Detail |
|---|
| Condition | Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) caused by Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV), a Capripoxvirus |
| Key Mechanisms | Vaccine-induced humoral (antibody) and cytokine immune responses following heterologous goatpox vaccination |
| Target Population | Seronegative Mithun (Bos frontalis), a semi-domesticated bovine species in Northeast India |
| Care Setting | Field conditions at ICAR-National Research Centre on Mithun, Nagaland, India |
Key Highlights
- LSDV exposure confirmed in Mithun populations with ongoing disease activity in Northeast India
- Heterologous live-attenuated goatpox vaccine was safe with no adverse clinical reactions or viral shedding detected
- Vaccine induced significant seroconversion and upregulation of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10) peaking at 30 days post-vaccination
Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
- Screen Mithun for LSDV exposure using indirect ELISA and virus neutralization tests (VNT)
Management
- Administer heterologous live-attenuated goatpox vaccine subcutaneously at 1 mL dose containing 10³ TCID50
- Monitor vaccinated animals clinically daily for 30 days for adverse reactions and signs of LSD
Monitoring & Follow-up
- Collect sequential nasal washes for PCR to assess viral shedding post-vaccination
- Evaluate humoral immune response by indirect ELISA and VNT
- Assess systemic cytokine markers (IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10) via serum ELISA and PBMC mRNA transcriptional profiling
Risks
- No adverse clinical reactions or vaccine virus shedding observed in this study
- Antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity was not assessed and requires future evaluation
Patient & Prescribing Data
Seronegative Mithun under routine field conditions in Northeast India
Single subcutaneous dose of heterologous goatpox vaccine is safe and induces measurable humoral and cytokine immune responses lasting at least 30 days
Clinical Best Practices
- Confirm seronegativity prior to vaccination to establish baseline immune status
- Maintain unvaccinated control group geographically separate to avoid cross-exposure
- Conduct longitudinal monitoring of immune responses and clinical signs for at least 12 months
- Incorporate spatial epidemiology mapping to understand disease distribution and vaccine impact
- Plan future studies to evaluate antigen-specific cell-mediated immunity using stimulated PBMC assays
References
