Category: News
Feed additives may help stop the spread of viral diseases in pigs
Initial results of a study conducted by Pipestone Applied Research, finds that five commercially available feed additives may stop the spread of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and Seneca Valley A (SVA) through contaminated feed. Dr. Scott Dee, Research Director at Pipestone Applied Research, presented the results of the first […]
Changing climate impacts bluetongue vectors
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute, Rothamsted Research, The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the Met Office have provided evidence that the UK midge season has extended over the last 40 years due to climate change. The findings could help scientists to make better predictions about how the spread of livestock diseases that are transmitted […]
Antimicrobial resistance at the wildlife-livestock-human interface in Nairobi
In a paper published in The Lancet Planetary Health, scientists from the University of Liverpool and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) show that urban wildlife in Nairobi carry a high burden of clinically relevant antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria, resistant to recently developed drugs that the World Health Organisation deems critically important to human medicine. […]
Developing a peptide-based vaccine for Johne’s disease
Researchers are investigating the possibility of developing a peptide-based vaccine for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Vaccinating animals with dead MAP cells can generate misleading false-positive results when vaccinated cattle are tested for bovine tuberculosis. An alternative approach could come from vaccinating the animals with specific pieces of MAP rather than using the entire bacterium, […]
Identification of African swine fever virus antigens for vaccine development
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have identified African swine fever virus (ASFV) proteins that can induce cellular and humoral immune responses in pigs. Published in Frontiers in Immunology, the study shows that when some pigs were challenged with a virulent strain of ASFV after receiving a vaccine that included the identified proteins, the level of […]
Chicken cells gene-edited to resist Influenza A virus
Scientists have used gene-editing techniques to stop Influenza A virus from replicating in chicken cells in vitro. They speculate in the journal eLife that it might be possible to generate a gene-edited chicken that is resilient to influenza. Researchers at Imperial College London found that during an infection, Influenza A viruses hijack the cell protein […]
Breed-dependent immune responses to Newcastle disease virus identified
An international team of scientists, led by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, have identified genes they hope could help create chickens more resilient to Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The researchers used a chick embryo model to study innate immune responses of inbred sublines of Fayoumi and Leghorn breeds, known to differ in susceptibility to NDV. […]
Global initiative to control African swine fever
During the 87th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), held 26-31 May 2019, a report on the global African swine fever (ASF) situation was presented to the Assembly. Throughout the second semester of 2018, 25 countries across Europe, Africa and Asia informed the OIE of outbreaks of African swine fever on […]
Project aims to develop African swine fever antivirals
The Pirbright Institute has announced that it will partner with the Belgian biotechnology company ViroVet to develop the first antiviral drugs that act against African swine fever virus (ASFV). In the absence of a vaccine, antiviral drugs could provide an alternative control method which would help limit clinical signs in pigs and lower virus replication. […]
Model identifies hotspots for lumpy skin disease
Researchers have combined two computer models to identify areas at highest risk for outbreaks of Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) in cattle. The models could help officials determine where to send resources ahead of outbreaks and serve as a potential early warning system for cattle farmers in affected areas. Although LSDV is endemic to Africa, […]