Researchers test Ebola vaccine for wild apes

Amid promising reports of effective Ebola vaccines for humans, a vaccine that could potentially protect endangered wild apes from deadly infectious diseases, including the Ebola virus, is being tested at the New Iberia Research Center. Scientists are testing an oral vaccine that would be ingested by chimpanzees and gorillas. It is similar to a rabies vaccine that has been successful in virtually eradicating rabies in Western Europe, and to immunize animals, including foxes, coyotes, dogs, raccoons and skunks. “The trial is relevant in addressing what has become an international health concern for both humans and animals,” said Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, vice president for Research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The study is being coordinated with Dr. Matthias Schnell, a professor of immunology and microbiology at Thomas Jefferson University, who developed the vaccine. It is part of a larger effort being led by Dr. Peter Walsh, a lecturer at the University of...