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Pirbright Institute begins testing coronavirus vaccines on animals
The pig immune system is closely related to humans.

Scientists join global battle to help control the pandemic

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have begun testing new coronavirus vaccines for their ability to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the strain responsible for the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The work, which is being carried out in collaboration with the University of Oxford and Public Health England (PHE), will test new vaccines for their ability to induce protective antibodies against SARS-C0V-2.

Among them includes a chimpanzee adenovirus vaccine vector (ChAdOx1), which is soon to enter human phase I clinical trials and has been used to create vaccines for diseases like Ebola and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Each vaccine candidate used in the trial will contain the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, the protein against which protective antibodies are generated in infected patients. The vaccines will be administered to pigs, and the team will assess whether the antibodies can block SARS-CoV-2 from infecting cells.

The pig immune system is closely related to humans, so a good response to a vaccine in the pigs will help researchers predict the success of vaccines for use in humans. Scientists will also assess the safety of the new vaccines and monitor any adverse effects in the pigs.

Pirbright director, Professor Bryan Charleston, explained: “The ChAdOx1 vector vaccine developed by Oxford will be used in this SARS-CoV-2 vaccine research as it can generate a strong immune response with just a single dose.

"The vaccine vector is non-replicating which means it cannot cause ongoing infection in an individual, making it safer to use for those with underlying health conditions like diabetes. This approach has been used in other vaccines and we are hopeful that this research will enable this vaccine to move into the next stage of human testing."

Dr Toby Tuthill, head of the virus programme at Pirbright, added: “This work is a fantastic collaboration between world-leading medical and veterinary scientists in immunology, virology and molecular biology.

“It will provide an evaluation of new SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a relevant model and will also generate a panel of antibody-based tools which will help us understand virus structure and how it stimulates the immune response. These antibodies could also be developed as additional novel therapeutics to treat COVID-19.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.