Dr Stephen Berryman and Dr Toby Tuthill from The Pirbright Institute have collaborated with the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and other research institutes* to uncover a new system used by the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) to prevent antiviral signalling of infected cells. The discovery could allow scientists to detect animals that have been infected with FMDV and distinguish them from those that have been vaccinated.
News from February 2018
Researchers from The Pirbright Institute have made a promising step forward by identifying key African swine fever virus (ASFV) proteins that induce immune responses in pigs.
The recent H5N6 bird flu outbreak is confined to the south of England, partly due to the introduction of an Avian Influenza Protection Zone in England and Wales including strict biosecurity measures for affected bird keepers.
But what is bird flu? Why is it such a threat? And what can we do to stop it?