New funding for research into enzootic pneumonia
The bacteria responsible for the disease is present in 80 per cent of UK herds.
Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College have been awarded funding to create a vaccine for enzootic pneumonia by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Enzootic pneumonia is the most common respiratory disease in pigs, with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.hyop), the bacteria which causes the disease, present in 80 per cent of UK herds. It is predominantly transmitted to piglets through lactation from an infected pig and can result in a 16 per cent reduction in growth.
Currently, treatment relies on antibiotics, with M.hyop susceptible to several varieties. However, owing to the need to reduce the overall use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine to prevent drug-resistant strains of bacteria developing, scientists are keen to find an alternative.
The research team, which will include Professor Dirk Werling, Dr Rob Noad, and Dr Sonja Jeckel, will work on developing the first commercially available vaccine for enzootic pneumonia. The researchers will also study how to improve protocols to eliminate M.hyop from pig herds to further minimise the potential transmission of the disease.
Previous research, funded by the BBSRC and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, identified the genes which allow the pathogen to survive in pigs.
Professor Werling said: “Infection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a really debilitating disease in pigs that causes huge economic losses for farmers. I am very pleased that we will be able to continue working with a pharmaceutical partner to develop a new vaccine using state-of the-art technologies.”
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Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
