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Vaccines - Animal Vaccines

The first animal vaccines were developed around 1880 by Pasteur, Toussaint, and Greenfield. In 1935 Sterne developed an attenuated live animal vaccine that is still in use and derivatives account for almost all vaccines used in the world today. The Sterne Vaccine lacks the plasmid pX02 which encodes the protecive capsule of the bacteria. Of course being a live bacteria, its most significant problem is that it retains some of its virulence. Goats, llamas, and occasionally other animals may die following vaccination. However, the benefits far outway the losses, and the vaccine, combined with improved animal husbandry and industrial hygiene, have led to the almost total dissappearence of anthrax in developed countries (12).