RVF (RIFT VALLEY FEVER)
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is primarily a disease of livestock causing major economic losses across Africa and, sometimes, the Middle East, but is also a zoonosis resulting in human deaths on an annual basis. Capri poxviruses (including sheep pox virus, goat pox virus and lumpy skin disease virus of cattle) also cause major economic losses due to high mortality and morbidity rates in livestock across Africa, the Middle East, and central and northern Asia.

Dr Dungu, ARC President and CEO Dr Shadrack Moephuli, Dr Nuru and Prof Tony Musoke
Although vaccines are available against these diseases, vaccine-related complications such as under-attenuation and short-lived immunity are some of the problems which hamper their effectiveness. There is thus the need for more stable, multivalent vaccines which are safe, easy to store and administer, and provide long-term immunity.
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