- October 02, 2025
- By Kimbra Cutlip
Researchers at the University of Maryland and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service are working on a new vaccine that could protect sheep and goats from the barber pole worm, one of the livestock industry’s most destructive scourges.
Haemonchus contortus is a blood-sucking parasite that attacks the stomach lining of these small ruminants, causing severe anemia, weight loss and often death. It is a major threat to herds, particularly in warmer climates, and causes significant economic losses across the United States.
There is no commercial barber pole worm vaccine available in the U.S., and the most common methods of controlling the parasite include deworming drugs that are becoming less effective in part because of rising drug resistance.
“Our goal is to give farmers a better tool, a vaccine that protects animals by boosting their own immune systems,” said Xiaoping Zhu, professor and chair of the University of Maryland's Department of Veterinary Medicine and lead researcher on the project. Zhu recently received $500,000 from the USDA’s National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program for this work.
Unlike typical vaccines used in other countries that target the parasite itself, the new UMD-led effort takes a novel approach. The research focuses on special proteins secreted by the parasite that help H. contortus hide from and manipulate the host’s immune response.
“If we can teach the host’s immune system to recognize and neutralize these proteins, we can stop the parasite from gaining a foothold,” Zhu explained.
During the multi-year project, Zhu and his team will focus on identifying and studying the proteins, while USDA scientist Dr. Wenbin Tuo will test how well the vaccine protects animals during real-world infection challenges.
This work has the potential to not only boost animal welfare but also support the long-term sustainability of America’s sheep and goat industries. The vaccine has garnered interest from the biotech industry, and UMD and the USDA Agricultural Research Service are jointly filing a patent application.