Scientists trial new vaccine to tackle bacterial infection in pigs

Streptococcus suis can cause serious, and often fatal, disease in pigs and be transferred to humans working with them
Piglets in barnyard.

Scientists trial new vaccine to tackle bacterial infection in pigs

Streptococcus suis can cause serious, and often fatal, disease in pigs and be transferred to humans working with them
Scientists have been awarded significant government funding to develop a vaccine that could halt the development and spread of one of the more common diseases affecting the UK pig population.
Streptococcus suis is a bacterial infection that can cause serious, and often fatal, disease in pigs but can also be transferred to humans working with them.
It has been shown to affect more than 60% of pig farms in a number of countries across Europe, posing challenges for both the pork industry and public health.
At present, there are no proven vaccines addressing the many strains of the disease, with infected pigs being treated using a number of different antibiotics.
However, with the UK Government targeting a 50% reduction in antibiotic use in livestock by 2030 ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ and a global drive to reduce the threats posed by antimicrobial resistance ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ an effective vaccine is urgently required.
The new project ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ led by The Vaccine Group, the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, and the University of Cambridge ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ aims to deliver that.
It will assess whether a vaccine candidate already shown to be effective against the most common strain of the disease can in fact protect pigs ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ and thereby prevent transmission to humans ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ against multiple, if not all, known strains.
The research is being supported by a grant of just over £1million from DefraÂÌñ»»ÆÞ™s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered by Innovate UK.

For pig farmers across the UK, Streptococcus suis is a major cause for concern and can lead to significant losses ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ“ both in terms of animals and financially.

As a zoonotic infection, there is also the risk of the disease being passed on to humans working in the industry. Our goal in developing an effective vaccine is stop the bacterial infection from developing in pigs and humans in the first place. By doing so, we can better protect the farmers, their animals and their livelihoods. We can also make pork production more efficient, humane and sustainable, at the same time helping the sector address the global challenges of antibiotic resistance and carbon emissions.
Dr Jeremy Salt
Chief Executive Officer at The Vaccine Group 
The project brings together world-leading experts in vaccine development, antimicrobial resistance and veterinary medicine.
It will build on previous research by The Vaccine Group and the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, through which the potential candidate for the Streptococcus suis vaccine was identified.
It works by administering a harmless virus which in turn generates greater quantities of proteins that induce an immune response in the animals.
The new trials, carried out in conjunction with animal health specialists at Moredun Scientific Ltd, will explore its potential to protect against different and emerging strains of the disease.
The research team will also engage directly with the pig farming community, to ensure the vaccine not only meets their requirements but can also be administered in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
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University staff involved in this project

 

Biomedical Research at the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ

Our research is aimed at understanding the molecular and cellular processes underlying human health and disease with a key aim to translate this research into diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
Investment in state-of-the-art genomic, proteomic and imaging technologies have allowed a systems-led approach to explore the interacting networks of genes, molecules and cells underpinning disease processes.
Our research in Diagnostics utilises interdisciplinary approaches to identify novel molecular disease markers and therapies.
 
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