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Pigs useful for testing influenza antibody treatment, study finds
"We are very excited that the pig model is useful for testing and refining antibody treatments for life-threatening influenza infections" - Dr Elma Tchilian.
Researchers discover human antibody that can neutralise H1N1 swine flu strain.

A human antibody has been proven to protect pigs against the strain of influenza that caused the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic.

The finding by researchers at The Pirbright Institute suggests that the antibody could be effective at treating human influenza infections. It also shows that pigs are a useful model for testing influenza antibody treatments.

Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the study is published in the Journal of Immunology.

“We are very excited that the pig model is useful for testing and refining antibody treatments for life-threatening influenza infections,” commented Dr Elma Tchilian, head of the Mucosal Immunology Group at Pirbright. “I hope that research into many other infectious diseases will also benefit from this model.”

Given their success in treating viruses such as Ebola, the use of antibodies to protect against influenza is of great interest to scientists. But while several influenza antibodies have progressed to clinical trials, the outcome in humans has been disappointing.

The latest study found that the 2-12C human antibody can neutralise the H1N1 2009 flu pandemic virus in pigs, and therefore provide protection. Both the amount of virus and signs of infection in the lungs were reduced in pigs that received treatment.

The success of this study in pigs suggests that antibody therapies have the potential to work in humans. It builds on previous research by Pirbright, which showed that pigs are good models for influenza vaccine studies.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
New guidance for antibiotic use in rabbits

New best practice guidance on the responsible use of antibiotics in rabbits has been published by the BSAVA in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWA&F).

The guidance is free and has been produced to help veterinary practitioners select the most appropriate antibiotic for rabbits. It covers active substance, dose and route of administration all of which are crucial factors when treating rabbits owing to the risk of enterotoxaemia.

For more information and to access the guide, visit the BSAVALibrary.