LARAMIE -- A vaccine that can halt brucellosis transmission in Yellowstone elk and bison populations is still years -- if not decades -- away from implementation, and only if enough research funding can be secured.

That was one of the messages that emerged after three days of intense discussion by an international panel of brucellosis experts assembled here this week to lay groundwork for such a vaccine.
But another message also emerged, one of cooperation among scientists, federal agencies and state officials to push brucellosis research and funding to the public forefront.

"The work product from this three-day workshop will be a credible task to Congress," Rick Willer, the president of the U.S. Animal Health Association, said in closing remarks. "We need to convince Congress that this is a North American need. We have a very difficult task ahead of us. This will not be cheap -- we need the funding."

Brett Marsh, president-elect of the U.S. Animal Health Association, said a special steering committee will meet today to assemble a research and development plan using costs estimates and proposals generated by the workshop.

"We'll see multiple federal agencies working together on this," Marsh said. "Congress was mentioned, but that's just part of it. State governments obviously play a large part, hopefully we will get international interest, and we will look to private institutions as well."

The free-ranging elk and bison in the greater Yellowstone area are known to harbor brucellosis, a bacteria that can spread to cattle via shared winter feeding grounds. The disease causes reproductive problems in animals, and the herds in greater Yellowstone are thought to have infected several Wyoming cattle in 2003, ultimately leading to Wyoming's loss of brucellosis-free status in 2004.

Lots of work to do

Despite the expressions of support for brucellosis research, it was obvious that an effective vaccine on wildlife is still in the early stages of development. A number of scientists explained at the end the workshop that even the most advanced vaccines have largely yet to be even tested on elk and bison.

"We are working in complex biological systems, and we actually understand very little," said Gary Adams, an associate dean at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. "We need to understand a lot more."

Gerhardt Schurig, dean of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, said the large-scale, large-animal testing that is needed becomes extremely expensive.

"The main problem is funding, the source of funding is not readily available, so you've got a bottleneck," he said, adding that even cutting-edge research is testing on less expensive types of animals and "taking the leap of faith that it will work in elk and bison."

"Even the most simple research will take a number of years," observed Jim Logan, a former Wyoming state veterinarian. "We've just touched the tip of the iceberg, and that is all it is. But it's a darn good step."

Despite the focus on vaccine research, the discussion quickly turned to other wildlife management strategies, with a number of public observers noting that a lot of critical decisions will have to be made long before a vaccine becomes available.

Josh Osher, a member of the Buffalo Field Campaign, an environmental advocacy group based in West Yellowstone, said things as simple as changes in administrative rules could likely do more than a vaccine.

"Ranchers in southeast Wyoming shouldn't be punished for infections in cattle in the northwest part of the state," he said. "I think that would take a lot of pressure off of wildlife in the greater Yellowstone area."

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