News
Safety of ASFV vaccine candidate assessed
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has announced that a vaccine candidate for African Swine Fever (ASF) has passed an important safety test required for regulatory approval. The test is an important milestone as part of a series of safety studies. These new results, published in Viruses, show that USDA’s live attenuated […]
MicroRNAs in milk could aid early diagnosis of bovine mastitis
Researchers at the Roslin Institute have determined that levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) in milk could be used as an accurate way to detect inflammation before clinical signs of mastitis are visible, potentially enabling rapid intervention to limit the impact of disease. The findings are published in Scientific Reports. The researchers studied levels of four types […]
Vehicles play an important role in PRRSV transmission
Researchers from North Carolina State University modelled different potential transmission routes for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), and found that vehicles used to move not only animals, but also farm workers and feed, can be carriers for disease spread. Their findings are published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. The researchers modelled nine modes […]
Enterococcus strains in probiotics may carry antimicrobial resistance genes
Researchers at Kansas State University have discovered that Enterococcus faecium strains, isolated from commercial probiotic products for pigs and cattle, may pose risk to serve as a source of transmitting antimicrobial resistance genes to other gut bacteria. Their study is published in the Journal of Animal Science. Raghavendra Amachawadi, assistant professor of food animal therapeutics […]
Platform technologies in veterinary vaccinology – review.
A review commissioned by STAR-IDAZ IRC on vaccine platforms has been published in the journal Vaccine (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.03.059). Vaccine platforms provide exciting opportunities to speed up the delivery of new vaccines particularly in the response to new and emerging diseases. The paper, Applications of platform technologies in veterinary vaccinology and the benefits for one health, was […]
2022 African Swine Fever Virus Research Review
This review of the research into African swine fever and its control looks at the progress made since 2015. Since then, the disease has spread through Europe, China and other parts of Asia, and to the Dominican Republic, and research efforts to find effective control measure, including vaccines have been stepped up. The review was […]
Infectious bronchitis virus: reverse genetics system aids vaccine development
Researchers from The Pirbright Institute working to improve vaccines for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) have developed a reverse genetics system, based on the pathogenic IBV strain M41, to identify genes which can be targeted for rational attenuation. Current vaccines for IBV are created by serial passage of virulent IBV field isolates through embryonated hens’ eggs. […]
Model suggests gene editing combined with vaccination could eliminate PRRS
Some livestock diseases could potentially be eradicated by introducing a proportion of animals that are genetically resistant to disease due to gene editing into some vaccinated herds, research led by the Roslin Institute suggests. A modelling study focusing on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences […]
GARA 2022 Scientific Meeting, Dominican Republic – Travel Awards announced
The GARA (Global African Swine Fever Research Alliance) 2022 Scientific Meeting will be held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on May 24-26. The scientific sessions will cover epidemiology, virology, pathogenesis, immunology, diagnostics, and vaccines, and there will be updates on African swine fever in the Dominican Republic and global situation. Early registration is until 15 […]
Novel Hendra virus variant discovered in Australian horses
Research led by the University of Sydney has identified a new variant of the Hendra virus as a cause of fatal illness in Australian horses, and of risk for virus spillover into humans. The research is published in Emerging Infectious Diseases. In Australia, Hendra virus circulates among flying foxes and can be transmitted to horses. […]