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Vaccine offers hope in fight against major chicken disease
The recombinant vaccines have potential to be more cost-effective and respond to emerging new virus strains.
Researchers test effectiveness of recombinant virus vaccine

Researchers have developed a new vaccine strategy that could help chickens in the fight against infectious bronchitis.

Current vaccines that protect against infectious bronchitis guard against some strains of the virus, but not others. Scientists believe these failures are associated with differences in the spike protein - the protein which enables the virus to attach to and enter cells - between strains of the virus.

Writing in the Journal Of Virology, researchers describe how they tested a new approach using a specialist type of vaccine, known as recombinant virus vaccine. These vaccines use harmless or weak versions of a virus or bacteria to introduce microbes into cells into the body.

The team used recombinant viruses with different spike proteins as vaccines to build two versions of a harmless virus. They found that the vaccine offered partial protection against infectious bronchitis virus, but further research is needed to develop a more robust vaccine.

Researchers say the recombinant vaccines have potential to be more cost-effective and respond to emerging new virus strains. The next step will be to develop a vaccine that remains harmless but induces a stronger immune response.

Professor Lonneke Vervelde, who led the study at the University’s Roslin Institute, said: “There is a real need to develop new vaccines against infectious bronchitis that protect against multiple strains and offer rapid responses. We are trying to make a vaccine that offers broad protection, but further research is needed to develop a more robust vaccine.”

Dr Erica Bickerton at the Pirbright Institute, who also took part in the study, said: “Our research hopes to develop more cost-effective and efficient commercial vaccines that are capable of protecting chickens against this serious disease.”

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
Germany livestock import ban lifted

The UK government has amended its ban on the import of livestock, meat and dairy products from Germany.

Defra said the decision follows 'rigorous technical assessment' of the measures applied and the current situation. "If the situation changes, we will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity," it said.

The ban was implemented in January following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near Berlin. Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products will remain in place at a country level.