Author: Rachel Wood
Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni exchange genes
A North Carolina State University study of Campylobacter isolates from live food animals, poultry carcasses at production and retail meat has found that Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni are exchanging genetic material, which could result in more antibiotic-resistant and infectious strains. The findings are published in PLoS ONE. Both C. coli and C. jejuni are […]
Insight into how tick saliva suppresses cattle immunity
Scientists from Hokkaido University, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro have revealed that substances in tick saliva activate immune response-suppressing proteins in cattle that facilitates the transmission of tick-borne diseases. The finding, published in Scientific Reports, could help in the development of alternative control strategies. The researchers […]
Progress towards eradication of peste des petits ruminants
Globally, the number of outbreaks of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) fell by two-thirds in recent years, raising hopes for meeting the goal of global eradication by 2030. Just over 1,200 global PPR outbreaks were recorded in 2019 compared to more than 3,500 in 2015 according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of […]
Avian influenza: genetic markers identified that could guide future surveillance
Researchers at The Pirbright Institute have identified the genetic markers on avian influenza viruses that could help the viruses to jump the species barrier and cause disease in people, in collaboration with other members of the One Health Poultry Hub. Co-investigators Professor Munir Iqbal and Dr Joshua Sealy worked with scientists at Imperial College London, […]
Babesia bovis: researchers identify potential vaccine targets
Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service-United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-ARS) and Washington State University (WSU) have identified which genes may be critically important to the survival and spread of Babesia bovis in ticks and mammals. Their findings are published in the International Journal for Parasitology. Dr Massaro Ueti, a research veterinary medical officer at […]
Paraprobiotic-based treatment for control of nematodes in sheep
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) has announced a new treatment for control of Haemonchus contortus in sheep. ARS researchers partnered with Virginia Tech and the University of Massachusetts’ Medical School to develop the treatment, described in International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance. “The H. contortus parasite has developed resistance […]
Potential for genetic control of bovine tuberculosis in Africa
Research suggests that it is likely that a group of genes act together to confer resistance to bovine tuberculosis (bTB). The findings, published in Frontiers in Genetics, will support future research, which could help farmers in Africa select and breed cattle that are more likely to be resistant to this disease in the future. The […]
Intestinal microbiota influences susceptibility to African swine fever
Faecal microbiota transplantation from African warthog to pig improved protection against an attenuated strain of African swine fever virus (ASFV), coinciding with a potent stimulation of mucosal immunity in transplanted animals. This is the conclusion of a study led by researchers from the Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) from the Institut de Recerca […]
Avian influenza viruses can combine two techniques to evade vaccine immunity
A study by researchers at The Pirbright Institute reveals more clues about how avian influenza viruses can evade vaccine immunity, aiding their spread in the field. The findings are published in Emerging Microbes and Infections. Influenza viruses are able to mutate, which can enable them to evade immunity generated by natural infection or vaccination. Influenza […]
Antibody response to PRRSV vaccination may help predict reproductive performance in sows
Measuring antibody response to vaccination against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) could better predict sow reproductive success than common genetic selection strategies, according to research conducted at Iowa State University. The findings are published in Frontiers in Genetics. Genetic selection in purebred herds is the primary strategy the pig industry uses to improve […]