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Researchers announce vaccines breakthrough
A Dendritic cell - Source: PLoS Pathogens
Variable immune responses investigated

Researchers from the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) and the University of Oxford's prestigious Jenner Institute have announced a breakthrough in understanding why some vaccinations are less effective at stimulating the desired immune response than others. The research, which was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and undertaken by Dr Bryan Charleston, Dr Efrain Guzman and Dr Jayne Hope, is published in the journal Vaccine.

“We knew that sometimes even when we know a bacteria or virus well, it has been a struggle to make effective vaccines against certain diseases.” said Dr Charleston, before explaining that “We discovered that dendritic cells – a type of immune cell – are activated better by some vaccines than others.
There are a lot of human and animal diseases that we would like better vaccines for, but until now we haven’t been able to find a good reason why, for example, the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis isn’t always effective, but the bovine herpes virus vaccine is extremely efficient at establishing long-term immunity.” 



The researchers found that the BCG vaccine is only taken up by a small number of dendritic cells, thus explaining the variations in efficacy. They also investigated the possibility of improving the efficiency of responses to vaccinations by deliberately targeting dendritic cells, and got a positive response to this line of enquiry. It is hoped that the team's discovery will allow for the development of new vaccines caused by viruses as well as bacteria. The next stage of the research is to develop the technique of improving dendritic cellular response into a safe and reliable technique for use in the vaccination of both humans and animals.

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Dechra launches checklist for veterinary sustainability

Global animal health specialist Dechra has announced the world's first Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC) to help make surgery more sustainable.

Endorsed by leading veterinary organisations, including the BEVA, BVNA and RCVS Knowledge, the checklist is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of veterinary care, while supporting better animal health outcomes.

The checklist was launched at the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Paris and will be followed by an internal training and awareness campaign. For more information, visit dechra.com