Pirbright scientists will progress pig and cattle health through two projects worth €3.5 million

NEOVACC: BRSV and PRRSV vaccines for newborn animals The first project, called NEOVACC, is coordinated by Pirbright’s Professor Simon Graham and aims to develop vaccine strategies to improve protection of new-born animals against BRSV and PRRSV. BRSV is a major cause of cattle respiratory disease outbreaks globally. PRRSV is considered to be one of the most economically important diseases affecting the global pig industry, with estimated losses in Europe exceeding €1.5 billion per year. [...] ASFVInt: Understanding the ASF genome for vaccine and antiviral development The second project, ASFVInt, focuses on identifying the roles of around half of the 150-170 genes contained in the ASFV genome. This deadly pig disease was estimated to have caused China US$ 141 billion in direct economic losses in 2019. The spread of ASF in the EU continues to pose a risk to the health of animals and the economies of UK and EU countries. Little is known about how ASFV genes contribute to infection and disease in pigs. This is partially due to the size of its genome, which is around five times the size of the virus that is responsible for COVID-19. There are currently no vaccines or treatments available for ASF, so understanding which ASFV genes are important for replication and immune system interaction will help scientists to develop these vital disease control tools. [...]