A new nanotechnology-based vaccine could provide protection from the Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV), a disease that costs the Australian cattle industry tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue every year. According to Dr. Tim Mahony, from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), “In Queensland alone the beef cattle industry is worth approximately $3.5 billion per year and the high-value feedlot sector experiences losses of over $60 million annually due to BVDV-associated illness.” The new vaccine is comprised of a protein from the virus loaded on nanoparticles, which then produces an immune response against BVDV. Dr. Neena Mitter, also with QAAFI, said the use of nanoparticles as the delivery vehicle results in a vaccine that can be administered more readily and more cost effectively than traditional vaccines. “The vaccine is exciting as it could feasibly enable better protection against the virus, can be stored at room temperature and has a long shelf life,” she said. The team plans to conduct further trials of the vaccine and hopes to develop a commercial veterinary product in the near future.