Author: Rachel Wood
Study confirms pooled milk can be used for FMD surveillance
A case study undertaken by scientists at The Pirbright Institute has confirmed that milk obtained from in-line milk samplers on a large-scale dairy farm can be used to detect circulating Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in cattle. Previous work carried out by the team had shown that it was possible to detect FMDV from the milk […]
Virally vectored ASFV antigens protect pigs from developing severe disease
Researchers at The Pirbright Institute have developed a vectored vaccine, which uses a non-harmful virus (adenovirus prime and modified vaccinia Ankara boost) to deliver eight strategically selected genes from the African swine fever virus (ASFV) genome into pig cells. Once inside the cell, the genes produce viral proteins which primes the pig immune cells to […]
Phylogenetic analysis suggests accidental release as a potential cause of bluetongue re-emergence
Research published in PLOS Biology suggests that the recent re-emergence of Bluetongue virus (BTV) in France could have been caused by human activities, based on the virus’ unusual genetic makeup. In the study, led by researchers at the University of Glasgow (UK) with a consortium of European collaborators, the authors compared genomes of the virus […]
Universal FMDV test developed
A diagnostic test that can detect whether an animal has been infected by or vaccinated against any type of Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) has been developed by scientists at The Pirbright Institute and Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell’Emilia Romagna (IZSLER). The test could be used in countries where foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks are […]
Avian influenza: recombinant antibodies reduce symptoms and virus shedding in chickens
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have engineered synthetic antibody molecules that can be administered to poultry to reduce the symptoms of influenza, as well as decreasing the amount of virus they shed into the environment. These results suggest that there is potential for their use as immunotherapy treatments to reduce the burden of influenza in […]
Efforts to control PPRV should focus on herd management style, not age
A study in Tanzania explored the rate of Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) infection across ages and livestock management styles of sheep and goats, as well as in cattle, which do not express symptoms but can be infected by the virus. The study, published in the journal Viruses, provides insight into how to target […]
Genome-wide transcriptome study of African swine fever virus
Scientists from The Pirbright Institute and University College London (UCL) have mapped the expression of genes across the entire African swine fever virus (ASFV) genome, which has helped to establish their order of activation as well as uncovering new genes. In their study, published in the Journal of Virology, the researchers used next generation sequencing […]
Ear implant delivers anaplasmosis vaccine to cattle
Researchers at the Kansas State University, in collaboration with Iowa State University, have developed a new vaccine delivery platform to produce long-lasting protection against bovine anaplasmosis. The results of their study are published in the Journal of Animal Science. “Currently, a common strategy to control anaplasmosis is to provide mineral or feed containing the antibiotic […]
Nipah vaccine candidates generate a strong immune response in pigs
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have shown that two new potential vaccines against Nipah virus developed by the University of Parma generate a strong immune response in pigs. These promising results suggest the vaccines could protect pigs against Nipah virus infection, which can cause respiratory problems and fatal encephalitis in pigs and humans. By preventing […]
Epidemiological analyses of African swine fever in the European Union
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its latest annual update on the presence of African swine fever (ASF) in the European Union. During the period covered by the report – November 2018 to October 2019 – Czechia became officially ASF-free. The disease was, however, confirmed as present in Slovakia, meaning there continue to […]