News
Lactic acid bacteria from badgers display inhibitory activity to BCG
The use of the human tuberculosis vaccine, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), in badgers has been suggested as a humane and long-term solution to reduce tuberculosis transmission from badgers to cattle. However, experimental studies show variable protection. Among the possibilities for this variation is that the resident gut bacteria may influence the success of oral vaccination in […]
Creating FMDV hybrids for better vaccines
In collaborative research led by The Pirbright Institute, scientists have generated a hybrid Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) with improved stability, which will increase its effectiveness when administered as a vaccine. They targeted the Southern African Territories (SAT) 2 serotype viruses, which are among the least stable of the seven different types of FMDV. Developing vaccines […]
Study traces FMDV escape from Indian subcontinent
The seven different serotypes of Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) can be split further into lineages which normally exist in specific geographical areas or ‘pools’. Over the past five years, the geographical range of a serotype O lineage, named Ind-2001, has dramatically expanded into many countries in Asia and North Africa. Pirbright Institute researchers from the […]
H7N9 and H7N2 highly pathogenic viruses detected in ducks
H7N9 low pathogenic Influenza A viruses emerged in China in 2013 and mutated to highly pathogenic strains in 2017, resulting in human infections and disease in chickens. To control spread, a bivalent H5/H7 inactivated vaccine was introduced in poultry (mainly chickens) in September 2017. Recent findings suggest that the vaccine largely worked, but researchers report […]
Pathogenic Leptospira strains identified in Uruguay cattle
Leptospirosis is a neglected zoonosis with worldwide distribution. Among many other mammalian species, Leptospira infects cattle, eliciting acute signs in calves, and chronic disease in adult animals often leading to abortions. In South America, beef and dairy export are leading sources of national income. Despite the importance of bovine health, food safety, and bovine-related dissemination […]
Vampire bats carry Bartonella at high rates
Bartonella are globally distributed bacteria that can cause endocarditis in humans and domestic animals. In Latin America, common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus) are frequently infected by Bartonella, and their subsistence on blood creates a risk for bacterial transmission from bats to humans and livestock. A study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases by Daniel Becker […]
Countries reaffirm commitment to PPR eradication
Countries renewed their commitment to globally eradicate Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) by 2030 at the global conference: Partnering and investing for a PPR-free world, organised by OIE and FAO and hosted by the European Commission in Brussels, 7 September 2018. At the same time, countries urged resource partners and the development community to contribute […]
FMDV contagion in carrier cattle
Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is believed to be one of the most contagious pathogens of animals in its acute form; however, there is still controversy over whether it is transmissible from asymptomatic, long-term carriers. Despite the lack of evidence for transmission by direct contact with FMDV carrier cattle, there is demonstrable contagion associated with these […]
White-tailed deer are susceptible to Rift Valley fever virus
Although Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) has not reached the United States, a study by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Kansas State University (KSU) shows that white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are highly susceptible to the virus and could serve as a host. Rift Valley fever causes significant economic losses due to death and abortion […]
First complete genome of the biting midge may lead to advances in control of arboviruses
Reseachers at The Pirbright Institute and the European Bioinformatics Institute have generated and built the first complete Culicoides biting midge genome. These flies transmit a range of economically important animal viruses, including Bluetongue virus. “Providing the biting midge genome enables scientists to work out where important genes are located and in some cases what their […]