GAS gangrene, a devastating clostridial infection affecting cattle and buffalo, causes rapid muscle destruction and death, inflicting substantial economic losses across Pakistan’s livestock sector. The disease is caused by lethal alpha toxins of clostridium perfringens type A and clostridium septicum. Vaccination remains the most effective prevention strategy, but Pakistani farmers have limited options available to them. Commercial vaccines are imported at a high cost, making them inaccessible to smallholder farmers. Led by PhD scholars at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in Lahore, researchers have developed an indigenous solution, which is good news for livestock farmers.
The researchers characterised locally isolated clostridium perfringens type A and clostridium septicum through advanced molecular techniques, including DNA sequencing and toxin profiling. Toxin production was optimised using different physical and chemical parameters, achieving exceptionally higher antigen concentrations. Four vaccine formulations were developed and rigorously tested in rabbit models, combining clostridium perfringens type A and clostridium septicum inactivated bacterial cells and toxins with oil and alum adjuvants. The formulations demonstrated superior immune responses during laboratory trials.
This innovation holds transformative potential: an affordable, locally produced vaccine accessible to smallholder farmers, reducing dependence on expensive imports while boosting livestock health security.
Qudsia Fatima
Lahore
Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026
